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Contents

Section 1: The Context - Manningham


Early Years Plan (MEYP) ............................................................................4
Section 2: Manningham City Council......................................................7
2.1 Children and Families of Manningham ................................................................................ 8

Section 3: Role of Manningham City


Council in the Early Years....................................................................... 11
3.1 Kindergarten....................................................................................................................... 11
3.2 Maternal Child Health ........................................................................................................ 12
3.4 Long Day Child Care and Occasional Care.......................................................................... 13
3.5 Playgroup............................................................................................................................ 14
3.6 Toy Library.......................................................................................................................... 14
3.7 Early Intervention Programs .............................................................................................. 14

Section 4: Manningham Early Years


Infrastructure............................................................................................. 15
Section 5: Why focus on the Early Years? .......................................... 21
5.1 The Early Years Evidence base ........................................................................................... 21
5.2 Government Policy Framework.......................................................................................... 21
5.3 State Government / Local Government partnership approach......................................... 22

Section 6: Predicted Impact of


Government Policy Reforms and
Manningham Early Years Infrastructure........................................... 23
6.1 Universal Access ................................................................................................................. 23
6.2 Revised staff:child ratios .................................................................................................... 24
6.3 Summary – Implications of local, state and national policy context for Manningham Early
Years Plan process:................................................................................................................... 24

Section 7: Developing the Manningham


Early Years Plan......................................................................................... 26

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Section 8: Building on the Manningham
Early Years Plan 2004 – 2007................................................................ 28
Section 9: Listening to the Community............................................... 29
Section 10: Future Early Years
Infrastructure in Manningham ............................................................. 31
10.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................... 31
10.2 Background....................................................................................................................... 31
10.3 Universal Access to 15 Hours Kindergarten ..................................................................... 32
Staffing Ratios and Qualifications ............................................................................................ 33
10.5 The Local Environment – Three and Four year old Enrolments in Manningham ............ 34
10.6 Snapshot – Infrastructure Requirements post Introduction of Universal Access and
Improved Staff Ratios............................................................................................................... 37
10.7 International Evidence for Early Years Integration .......................................................... 38
10.8 Transition to a model of Integrated Children’s Services.................................................. 39
10.9 Schools as Community Facilities ...................................................................................... 41
10.10 Integrated Children’s Service Hubs in Manningham ..................................................... 42
10.11 Integrated Early Years Community Hub in the Doncaster East / Donvale Precinct....... 43

Section 11: The MEYP 2012-2018........................................................ 45


Vision............................................................................................................. 45
Manningham Early Years Action Plan ................................................ 47
Manningham Early Years Action Plan ................................................ 48
Appendix One – Manningham Projected
Age Breakdown by Suburb 2012, 2016
and 2019....................................................................................................... 55
Appendix Two– Socio-Demographic
Profile............................................................................................................ 60
Population ................................................................................................................................60
Household Composition by Families........................................................................................60
Occupation by Age and Sex......................................................................................................61
Cultural Diversity......................................................................................................................61
Employment by Occupation.....................................................................................................62
Educational Choices .................................................................................................................63
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Indigenous Population .............................................................................................................63
Need for Assistance (People with disabilities).........................................................................63
Summary of Population Projection Characteristics and Analysis Population and Household
Forecasts .................................................................................................................................. 64
Population and Household Forecasts ......................................................................................64
Forecast Population Aged 0-4 and 5-9 years ...........................................................................65
Manningham by Precinct ......................................................................................................... 66
Population Density per Catchment Area .................................................................................67

Appendix Three – Australian Policy


Context .......................................................................................................... 71
Council of Australian Governments (COAG) ............................................................................71
Federal Government ................................................................................................................73
State Government....................................................................................................................74

Appendix Four – State Government /


Local Government Partnership Approach ........................................ 77
Public Health ............................................................................................................................77
Maternal and Child Health .......................................................................................................77
Preschool Field Officer (PSFO) .................................................................................................77
Libraries....................................................................................................................................78
Infrastructure provision ...........................................................................................................78
Family Support Innovation Projects.........................................................................................78
Primary Care Partnerships .......................................................................................................79
Disability Metropolitan and Rural Access ................................................................................79
Community Strengthening.......................................................................................................79

Appendix Five – Integrated Service Policy


Directions..................................................................................................... 80
Appendix Six - Glossary of Terms ........................................................ 82

Section 1: The Context - Manningham Early Years Plan (MEYP)

The Manningham Early Years Plan (MEYP) is a local area plan designed to provide a strategic
direction for the development and co-ordination of early years programs, activities and other
local community development processes that impact on children 0-8 years in the municipality.

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The MEYP engages the local community to work towards positive early years outcomes for
children and families in the municipality. The plan incorporates Manningham’s early years
community priorities into an integrated Council planning framework. The plan acts as a catalyst
for consistent multi agency planning across the municipality – where all local partners work
towards agreed outcomes within their respective roles.

The MEYP identifies Council’s role across early years programs - not just those activities directly
delivered by Council. Through the planning process associated with developing, implementing
and evaluating the plan, this enables Council to:

• Make informed decisions


• Support capacity building for families and their young children
• Engage key community partners who have clear roles in working towards locally agreed
outcomes
• Articulate its role in service and infrastructure provision, planning, advocacy and
community capacity building
• Maximise resources and undertake long term planning for children across all council
departments
• Facilitate partnerships with the community and other levels of government
This is the second Early Years Plan (EYP) for the City of Manningham and is based on an analysis
of current state and federal policy directions, community need and aspiration, local
characteristics and demographics. This new plan builds on Councils previous EYP 2004-2007 and
incorporates the key findings and directions of the Early Years Municipal Wide Infrastructure
Plan 2009 – 2011 into one Plan. This provides the community with a more comprehensive tool
and planning document.

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Figure 1 - Interconnectivity of influences to inform the development of the MEYP 2012-2018

Evaluation of
existing
Early Years
Plan

Evaluation of
Early Years
Council’s role
Infrastructure
Plan

Manningham
EYP

Local
Key evidence
characteristics
themes
and influences

Policy
context
Section 2: Manningham City Council

This MEYP reflects the broader vision and strategic directions of council. The current Council Plan
covers the period 2009-2013. The Plan outlines a vision of:

• A vibrant, safe and culturally diverse community that fosters participation,


connectedness, harmony, social inclusion, health and wellbeing.
• A community with access to high quality, responsive services, facilities and infrastructure,
to meet changing needs.
• A council underpinned by sound financial management, customer service, continuous
improvement, strong governance and leadership, transparency, consultation,
communication and advocacy.
• A municipality that supports sustainable development and achieves a balance between
lively activity areas supporting a healthy local economy, and preserving our rural areas
and abundance of open space.
• A community that protects and enhances our natural environment and wildlife, and is
concerned about reducing our carbon footprint in all that we do.
The Council Plan sets the strategic direction for development of the municipality and the
organisation over the next four years (2009 -2013). The Council Plan is divided into the following
nine objectives:

1. To foster a safer place to live, for people of all ages.

2. To support a socially inclusive and connected community that promotes health and
wellbeing through accessible services and facilities and strong community partnerships
and participation.

3. To maintain Manningham’s position as a strong, financially sustainable Council, delivering


high quality services, underpinned by principles of good governance, continuous
improvement and transparency.

4. To promote cultural harmony within our diverse community and support community
engagement through multicultural events, activities that harness cultural learning and
celebration, targeted services and multilingual communications.

5. To ensure appropriate, sustainable, development that protects our environment while


strengthening our local economy, supporting local business and providing accessible
services.

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6. To deliver a range of high quality services, programs, recreation opportunities, and
facilities that meet the needs of children, young people, families, seniors and community
groups.

7. To maintain, upgrade and develop Manningham’s physical assets to a high standard, to


meet growing needs of the community and increased levels of usage.

8. To effectively advocate on behalf of the community to other levels of government and


ensure effective communication and engagement on Council services, activities and
projects.

9. To adopt sustainable practices that reduce our carbon footprint on the environment,
reduce waste, energy and water use and protect and enhance biodiversity.

Components of each of these objectives directly relate to and support this Manningham Early
Years Plan.

2.1 Children and Families of Manningham

Manningham has been recognised as the second most liveable municipality in Victoria and the
seventh most liveable community in Australia1 The municipality is defined by natural boundaries,
the Yarra to the North and west, Koonung Creek to the south. The Mullum Mullum Creek divides
Manningham into two distinct areas. The City of Manningham is an urban and semi-urban area,
including normal suburban blocks and low density areas. The municipality includes the suburbs
of Bulleen, Doncaster, Doncaster East, Donvale, Park Orchards, Templestowe, Templestowe
Lower, Warrandyte, Warrandyte South and Wonga Park and parts of Nunawading and Ringwood
North.

Generally, areas east of Mullum Mullum Creek are non-urban, while areas to the west are
residential. Urban areas include the suburbs of Bulleen, Doncaster, Doncaster East, Templestowe
and Templestowe Lower. The City encompasses a total land area of 114 square kilometres,
including substantial green open spaces. Non-urban areas are used mainly for rural residential
living, conservation and small scale agriculture. From the 1950s, there was significant residential
development in areas such as Bulleen, Doncaster and Templestowe Lower. This development
continued into the 1980s as Doncaster East, Templestowe and Donvale experienced rapid
growth. The population declined slightly in the early 1990s, falling from nearly 105,000 in 1991
to about 103,000 in 1996. The population increased marginally from 1996 to 2006, rising to
nearly 109,000 in 2006. The estimated population in 2011 is in excess of 118,000 persons.
Population growth is expected in the future, largely from the development of the Doncaster Hill
urban village. Projected population is estimated at in excess of 126,000 by 2021.

1
BankWest Quality of Life Index 2008

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Young children and families of Manningham enjoy a relatively high standard of living. There are
comparatively high levels of employment, education and income and families report positive
levels of health, well being and social connection. Key findings from demographic data that have
been addressed in the MEYP planning process include:

• Manningham is an ageing municipality, and as such will need to consider the health
needs of this group, carers and the added pressure on the health care system and local
services. Asset maintenance and infrastructure development needs to be flexible to
ensure community facilities can cater for changing community priorities;

• The most significant numbers of preschoolers and primary school aged children are
focused in Doncaster East, Doncaster and Templestowe.

Suburbs and small areas 0-8years 0-8 years 0-8 years Change
2012 2016 2019 2012 -
2019

Bulleen 1015 1025 1029 14

Doncaster Hill 134 209 293 159

Doncaster Balance 1630 1600 1604 -26

Doncaster (Suburb Total) 1764 1810 1897 133

Doncaster East 2605 2608 2610 5

Donvale 1196 1172 1159 -37

Park Orchards - Ringwood North 524 532 540 16

Templestowe 1496 1444 1465 -31

Templestowe Lower 1226 1156 1125 -101

Warrandyte - Warrandyte South 649 647 661 12

Wonga Park 316 306 307 -9


Source: Informed Decisions, 2006 Population and household forecasts

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• Park Orchards, Warrandyte and Wonga Park have (in 2012) and are projected (in 2019) to
have the highest share of persons in the preschool and primary aged group.2 Refer to
Appendix One Age Breakdown by Suburb 2012, 2016, 2019;

• Substantial increases are expected in Doncaster Hill as a result of significant residential


developments and opportunities;

• The proportion of persons in the 0-8 age group is projected to remain relatively
consistent. Refer to Appendix Two Forecast Population aged 0-4 and 5-9 years.

• Manningham residents have comparatively higher education levels, employment levels


and income; and

• Cultural diversity is one of Manningham’s greatest attributes with 34% of the community
born overseas. The top five overseas birthplaces are China, Italy, United Kingdom, Greece
and Hong Kong.

The Manningham Socio-demographic Profile is available as Appendix 2.

2
Data in this report is based on the 2006 ABS census and projections from ID Profile. Maternal and Child Health
birth rate trend data indicates a more significant decline for Warrandyte and Park Orchards than projected. All data
will need to be updated with release of 2011 ABS census from June 2012.

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Section 3: Role of Manningham City Council in the Early Years

Manningham City Council has an integrated approach to supporting our community through its
responsibilities in planning, budgeting and service delivery under the Local Government Act
(1989) which recognises the leadership role of local government in the community.

The role of Manningham City Council in early years is:

• Planning – Facilitation and participation in service co-ordination, networking, policy


development, research and analysis and recommending appropriate directions.
• Infrastructure Provision – A long history of the provision and/or maintenance of buildings
and/or infrastructure and delivery of community services.
• Advocating - A key role identifying and advocating for the needs of the community to all
levels of government and private industry as appropriate.
• Community Strengthening – co-ordinate and encourage inclusive practices towards
community empowerment.
This Plan focuses significantly on the built environment and the infrastructure implications for
Council as a provider of the buildings / infrastructure for the following early childhood services:

• Kindergarten;
• Maternal and Child Health;
• Community Managed Long Day Child Care;
• Playgroup;
• Toy Library;
• Early Intervention.
Described below are details on each of the above services and the role of Council.

3.1 Kindergarten

Kindergarten, a state government funded program, offer developmental and education


experiences for children in the year prior to school entry. Children can attend between two to
six hours per day several times per week in a kindergarten program. Children are able to
participate in a number of activities which are designed to extend their socialisation and broader
awareness. Children are given the opportunity to:

• Develop physical skills;


• Develop creative abilities;

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• Increase independence; and
• Develop a positive self-image.
In Manningham all stand-alone kindergartens offering 3 and 4 year old kindergarten programs
are operated by community non-profit organisations. One kindergarten program operates in a
community non-profit long day child care service. Volunteer parent committees manage these
types of kindergarten services, giving parents an opportunity to be involved and inform the
operations of the service. Most long day child care private providers also offer 4 year old
kindergarten programs within the child care service.

All children who may turn 4 years of age on or before 30 April in the year of attendance are
eligible for a funded kindergarten service. Children with additional needs can also attend with
support from preschool field officers and other specialists. Most kindergarten facilities also offer
a 3 year old (unfunded) program to compliment the main 4 year old subsidised program.

Manningham City Council is not a direct provider of kindergarten services but to date has offered
support in the following key ways:

• The provision of buildings from which services can operate at a nominal rate;
• Support to Kindergarten staff and volunteer committees of management;
• Support of a Preschool Field Officer (PSFO);
• The maintenance of kindergarten buildings; and
• Capital funding contribution for refurbishment of existing kindergarten and construction
of new facilities.
Kindergarten buildings and surrounding outdoor areas must meet the relevant building and
design requirements for child safe buildings. The building must provide a minimum indoor
playroom area of 3.25m² per child and a further 7m² outdoor play per space per child. Ideally,
Kindergartens should be located on or adjacent to primary school or church sites, and/or co-
located with other children’s services such as Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and playgroups.

3.2 Maternal Child Health

The framework for the provision of the MCH Service is guided by an overarching goal:

To promote healthy outcomes for children and their families, providing a comprehensive and
focused approach to managing the physical, emotional or social factors affecting families in
contemporary communities.3

Two further objectives support this goal. These are to:

3
Maternal and Child health Service Program Standards DEECD Oct 2009

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• enhance family capacity to support young children and address physical, emotional, social
and wellbeing issues affecting young children,
• enhance community capacity to support young children and their families to address
physical, emotional, social and wellbeing issues affecting young children.
Although MCH Services are available to all children aged 0-6 years, parents with children aged 0-
3 years are the dominant users. Services are funded on a minimum number of visits per year.

Co-location is preferred, but not restricted to other children’s services such as kindergarten and
long day child care. For example, MCH services may be based at general community facilities
with appropriate consulting rooms. Like other core council services, the MCH service plays an
important secondary role in fostering community development with staff building the capacity of
Manningham residents through awareness of the broad suite of resources and services available
to young families.

Typically, the facility requirements of an MCH service should include;

• Two consulting rooms (allowing for dual-nurse operated centres)


• A large waiting area (of sufficient size to be able to also conduct first time parents
groups);
• A kitchen area; and
• Accessible toilets.

3.4 Long Day Child Care and Occasional Care

Community-based long day child care centres are incorporated not-for-profit companies
operating under Articles of Association and are managed by a Management Committee
consisting of parents of children at the centre and the Director. Funding agreements with State
and Commonwealth Governments require the centres to give preference to community
enrolments. Childcare Benefit is available at these centres if they are licensed and accredited.

Community based not-for-profit organizations operate occasional child care centres at Pines
Learning, Park Orchards Learning Centre, Wonga Park Community Cottage and at Aquarena.
Manningham City Council is a direct provider of a flexible early years child care service at
Manningham City Square (MC²) offering sessional, day and weekly care. Council offers support in
the following ways to long day care:

• The provision of buildings from which community based , community managed early
years services can operate; and
• Support to long day child care service providers
• Support for inclusion through the Inclusion Support Program.

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The service facility should be close to arterial roads for access and provide safe drop-off and
pick-up points. The building must meet the requirements of the Department of Education and
Early Childhood Development building regulations for child based activities. For example,
minimum floor space is 3.25m² internal per child and 7m² external per child. The Victorian
Building code also applies as appropriate.

3.5 Playgroup

Playgroup is an informal session where parents/caregivers/grandparents and children aged 0-5


years meet together in a relaxed environment. Playgroups are set up and run by
parents/caregivers.

Manningham City Council is not a direct provider of playgroups but offers support in the
following ways:

• The provision and maintenance of buildings from which services can operate; and
• Support to playgroup providers

3.6 Toy Library

A toy library is a place where parent/caregivers can go to borrow a large variety of educational
toys, puzzles and games on a regular basis. Toy libraries principally cater for children from birth
to six years of age.

Manningham City Council is not a direct provider of toy libraries but offers support in the
following ways:

• The provision of buildings from which services can operate; and


• Support to toy library providers

3.7 Early Intervention Programs

Early intervention provides support for infants and young children who have developmental
delays or disabilities, their families and communities in order to promote the child’s
development and inclusion.

Manningham City Council is not a direct provider of early intervention but offers support in the
following ways:

• The provision of buildings from which a service operates; and


• Support to early intervention providers.

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Section 4: Manningham Early Years Infrastructure

The Manningham Early Years Plan describes a whole of council approach covering community
development, design, planning and infrastructure.

Early years assets need to be regularly refurbished to ensure that they continue to meet the
needs of the users and the community, the “standards of the day” and to increase the overall
life-cycle of these assets.

Underpinning this plan is Council’s Asset Management Plan that recognises:

• A Whole of Life Cycle approach which has been taken to determine the budget
requirements for all assets;
• Council accepts responsibility for the major refurbishment of its assets;
• Infrastructure assets will undergo continual maintenance and refurbishment to ensure
that they continue to meet ‘“standards of the day”; and
• All existing assets will be maintained to a satisfactory level.
Current Council owned and maintained early years infrastructure is as follows:

Location Type of Facility No. of Council Facilities

Bulleen Kindergarten 3
MCH 1
Long Day Child Care 1
Lower Templestowe Kindergarten 4
Early Intervention 1
Kindergarten
MCH 1
Long Day Child Care -
Templestowe Kindergarten 2
MCH -
Long Day Child Care -
Doncaster (including Kindergarten 2
Doncaster Hill)
MCH 1
Occasional Child Care Centre 1

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Location Type of Facility No. of Council Facilities
Doncaster East Kindergarten 6
MCH 2
Long Day Child Care 1
Donvale Kindergarten 2
MCH -
Long Day Child Care -
Wonga Park Kindergarten 1
MCH 1
Long Day Child Care -
Warrandyte Kindergarten 1
MCH 1
Long Day Child Care 1
Park Orchards Kindergarten 1
MCH 1
Long Day Child Care -

The following table summarises the locational features and age of each of the Council owned
preschools:

Located Located on Located with Located Located Age of


on or adjacent MCH or other adjacent adjacent to Building
Council to a Council Council to primary shops
owned reserve service/ facility school
land

Bulleen Yes No Yes (MCH) No Yes 50 years


Pre School (Bulleen
Plaza)
Lower Yes Yes Yes (Toy No No 45 years
Templestowe Library)
Pre School
Templestowe Yes Yes No No No 36 years
Heights Pre School

Templestowe No – No – Crown Yes (Bowling No No 45 years

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Located Located on Located with Located Located Age of
on or adjacent MCH or other adjacent adjacent to Building
Council to a Council Council to primary shops
owned reserve service/ facility school
land

Pre School Crown Land that Club)


Land also
contains a
Bowling
Club.
Templestowe Yes No No Yes No 39 years
Valley Pre School
Twin Hills Yes No Yes (MCH) No No 37 years
Pre School

Vista Valley Yes No No No No 44 years


Kindergarten

Yarraleen Yes Yes Yes (Playgroup) No No 51 years


Pre School

Yarra Valley Yes No No No No 37 years


Pre School

Moresby Child Care Yes No No No No 48 years


Centre
Doncaster Yes No Yes (MCH) Yes No 44 years
Kindergarten

Doncaster Park Yes Yes No No No 36 years


Kindergarten
Elgar Court Yes No No No Yes 21 years
Occasional Child (Westfield
Care Centre Doncaster)
Beverley Hills Yes No No No No 43 years
Pre School

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Located Located on Located with Located Located Age of
on or adjacent MCH or other adjacent adjacent to Building
Council to a Council Council to primary shops
owned reserve service/ facility school
land

Cat Jump Preschool Yes No No No No 37 years

Deep Creek Yes No Yes (MCH & No Yes (Pines 25 years


Preschool Child Care Shopping
Centre) Centre)
Doncaster East Yes No No No Yes 55 years
Pre School – Ivy (Doncaster
Ferguson Road
Shops)
Gumnut Gully Yes Yes No No No 23 years
Pre School

Tunstall Square Yes Yes Yes (MCH) No No 46 years


Kindergarten
Donvale Yes No Yes No No 48 years
Pre School (Playgroup)
Montessori Early Yes Yes No No No 43 years
Education Centre
Deep Creek Child Yes No Yes No Yes (Pines 25 years
Care (Kindergarten Shopping
& MCH) Centre)
Burch Family Yes Yes Yes (MCH, No No 22 years
Memorial Neighbourhood
Pre School House &
Playgroup
Warrandyte & Yes Yes Yes (MCH) No No 17 years
District
Kindergarten

Park Orchards No – No Yes (MCH) No No 45 years


Crown
Pre School Land

Warrandyte Child Yes No No No No 56 years


Care & Pre School
Centre

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Bulleen, Templestowe, Lower Templestowe

• All but one of the 10 Council owned (not operated) children’s services facilities within the
area are located on Council owned land. Templestowe Preschool is located on Crown
Land;
• Three of the facilities are located adjacent to open space reserves;
• Four of the ten facilities are co-located with other services (two MCH services, one
playgroup and one toy library);
• Only one of the facilities (Templestowe Valley Preschool) is located adjacent to a primary
school;
• Only one of the facilities is located adjacent to shops;
• The average age of a Council owned Kindergarten facility in the area is 43 years. The last
Kindergarten facility built in the area was Yarraleen Preschool in 1975. Bulleen Preschool
is 50 years old and Templestowe Preschool is 51 years old.
Doncaster (including Doncaster Hill)

• All of the three Council owned children’s services facilities within the area are located on
Council land;
• Doncaster Kindergarten is located adjacent to a primary school;
• One of the facilities (Elgar Court Occasional Child Care Centre) is currently located in the
Doncaster Hill precinct adjacent to a shopping centre but in July 2012 will be relocating to
the early years service centre at the MC² community hub, adjacent to a primary school
and operating a flexible child care service;
• The average age of a Council owned Kindergarten facility in the area is 33 years.
Doncaster Kindergarten is 44 years old.
Doncaster East, Donvale

• All 10 Council owned children’s services facilities within the area are located on Council
owned land;
• Two of the facilities are located adjacent to open space reserves;
• Four of the facilities are co-located with other services (three MCH services and one
playgroup);
• None of the facilities are located adjacent to primary schools.
• Gum Nut Gully Preschool was a temporary portable facility placed on the site 23 years
ago. The facility has recently had a new roof constructed over the existing roof;

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• The average age of a Council owned Kindergarten in the area is 38 years. Doncaster East
Preschool is 55 years old.
Wonga Park, Warrandyte, Park Orchards

• All but one of the four Council owned children’s services facilities within the area are
located on Council owned land. Park Orchards is located on Crown Land;
• Two of the four facilities are located adjacent to open space reserves;
• Three of the four facilities are co-located with Maternal & Child Health Services;
• None of the facilities are co-located with either a Primary School or a Shopping Centre;
• The average age of a Council owned Kindergarten in the area is 35 years. Warrandyte
Child Care and Preschool Centre is 56 years old.

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Section 5: Why focus on the Early Years?

5.1 The Early Years Evidence base

“The evidence is unambiguous, setting ambitious early childhood development standards for
learning and care, and investing state and community resources to ensure that these
standards are met, has enormous potential to boost educational achievement, promote social
inclusion and promote good citizenship.” (UNICEF, 2009)

The evidence is now irrefutable that investment of time, money and support by all levels of
government, services and the broader community in the early years contributes to strong,
healthy communities, and can significantly reduce public expenditure on health, education,
employment and crime.

5.2 Government Policy Framework

Policy development in the early years field has expanded rapidly since the implementation of the
2004 Manningham EYP, both in terms of breadth and complexity. The last five years in particular
have seen a vast amount of policy material published both at a State and Federal level,
emphasising the importance of early years as an area of focus for government.

Early years policy is the subject of continual change. Both State and Federal priorities include a
vast array of reforms and initiatives that are relevant to councils in early years planning.
Furthermore, there has been an increasing focus on integrating childcare and early childhood
education under the education umbrella both at the State and Federal level.

In 2006 the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) endorsed the National Reform Agenda,
which embodies a new collaborative approach to the Federal, State and Territory governments
working together towards agreed outcomes. The reform agenda around early years includes a
focus on addressing disadvantage and its impact on the health and wellbeing of children.

The COAG early childhood reform agenda includes:

• Development of Belonging, Being and Becoming – the Early Years Learning Framework for
Australia4
• Initiatives to address early childhood workforce issues

4
DEEWR 2009

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• A National Quality Framework including assessment of services against a National Quality
Standard to ensure a national approach to quality and regulation of early childhood
education and child care
• Improved data and performance information in early childhood, including the publication
of A Snapshot of Early Childhood Development in Australia – Australian Early
Development Index (AEDI) National Report 2009
• Development of Investing in the Early Years—A National Early Childhood Development
Strategy 2009.
The impact of the early childhood reform agenda is considerable change in the early childhood
landscape across Australia, which has considerable implications for state policy and the
support/coordinating function of local government. In addition, COAG has committed to
providing Universal Access to Early Childhood Education by 2013. This means that every child will
have access to 15 hours per week of kindergarten in the year before s/he goes to school. At the
same time, there is a move towards co-locating and integrating kindergarten programs with long
day care to better cater for community need. Integrated service delivery for early years has
become a trend both internationally and nationally. Integrated services act as a service hub by
bringing together a range of services where practitioners work in a multi-agency way to deliver
integrated support to families. The integration of services makes life easier and less stressful for
children and families and commits to making programs more accessible and consistent.

This MEYP 2012-2018 plan reflects the evolution of Australian and Victorian policy.

A snapshot of key elements within the current policy context is set out in Appendix 2.

5.3 State Government / Local Government partnership approach

There are also a number of early years programs that specifically rely on a State Government /
Local Government partnership approach. These include:

• Preschool Field Officer (PSFO)


• Public Health
• Maternal and Child Health
• Libraries (Early childhood programs)
• Infrastructure provision
• Family Support Innovation Projects
• Primary Care Partnerships
• Disability Metropolitan and Rural Access
• Community Strengthening
A full detail of each of these initiatives is set out in Appendix 3.

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Section 6: Predicted Impact of Government Policy Reforms and
Manningham Early Years Infrastructure

6.1 Universal Access

As part of the federal commitment that every child has access to a kindergarten program
provided by a degree qualified teacher for 15 hours per week 40 weeks per year in the year prior
to school commencement, the MAV has taken a lead role to help councils plan the delivery of
universal kindergarten access. The MAV has been funded by the State Government to support
councils through the planning process. The implementation of Universal Access presents a
number of opportunities and challenges for Manningham’s early years services in regards to
funding, staffing, models of timetabling, infrastructure, potential displacement of three and four
year old places and support.

In both 2010 and 2011 State Government funded Council to undertake planning work with the
early years sector on the impact of Universal Access of 15 hours of kindergarten. Issues identified
include:

• Overall cost of implementation including; infrastructure requirements, service/program


delivery support, change management process;
• Age, condition and current capacity of infrastructure;
• Capacity of services to deliver;
• The need to be considered and prioritised within Council’s overall infrastructure planning;
• Ability of the existing governance structures to support and manage changes to
operational models;
• The management of stakeholders’ responses to the displacement of existing community
groups i.e. 3yr old programs/playgroups within the municipality;
• Displacement of 3 year old groups conflicting with the requirement of the Early Start
Kindergarten Project;
• Mobilising parental engagement and support for proposed changes to operational
models;
• Workforce specific issues.

DEECD has provided further funding to Manningham in 2011/12 to assist in planning and
delivering change management sessions regarding the introduction of Universal Access.

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6.2 Revised staff:child ratios

Post 2016 the Federal Government proposal to improve the staff:child ratio from 1:15 for
children 3 years to school age to 1:11 will impact both kindergartens and child care centres.
Services may choose one of the following options in regard to the proposed staff:child ratio of
1:11:

• Reduce the number of children per group to 22. Most kindergarten playrooms are
licensed for 27- 30 children and they generally have a preference for group sizes of 25 –
27 children per group. Reducing the group size to 22 may have an impact on the financial
viability of the service.
• Retain the number of children per group to 25 – 27. This will mean that a third staff
member will be required and may have an impact on the financial viability of the service.
• Increasing the number of children per group to 33. This will only be possible if the
kindergarten or child care centre has the actual floor space to accommodate 33 children.
The vast majority of kindergarten playrooms throughout the municipality could only
accommodate up to a maximum of 30 children. However there is a possibility that in
some instances the verandah space may be able to be included in the floor space of the
facility and therefore the total indoor floor space plus the verandah space may be able to
accommodate 33 children. This option may also have impacts on the financial viability of
the service. Anecdotally kindergartens have indicated a preference to not educate a group
size of 33 children.

6.3 Summary – Implications of local, state and national policy context for
Manningham Early Years Plan process:

The MEYP 2012-2018 aims to:

• Build on the developments from the 2004-2007 Manningham Municipal Early Years Plan;
• Address any relevant, unmet strategies from the 2004-2007 Manningham Municipal Early
Years Plan;
• Be consistent with Manningham Council’s corporate objectives;
• Use consultation and engagement strategies consistent with Council’s commitment to
community engagement;
• Link to strategies that build internal capacity to promote community health and well
being;
• Demonstrate the leadership role of the council;
• Ensure the principles of the State-MAV partnership agreement are included in Service
Agreement negotiations where relevant;

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• Increase linkages with schools;
• Investigate and identify opportunities to locate kindergartens on or adjacent to primary
school or alternatively church sites;
• Align with State and Federal principles, visions and priorities;
• Address requirements of the new Children’s Services Regulations and the National Quality
Framework;
• Take an outcomes focused approach within a strategic framework; and
• Maximise the available funding initiatives, programs and resources provided by State and
Federal Government.

The MEYP Action Plan takes up all of the key initiatives from Government and links all its
objectives and actions to current evidence and policy.

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Section 7: Developing the Manningham Early Years Plan

A number of well established principles and values guide the Manningham Early Years Plan.
These include:

The Convention on the Rights of the Child5 - for children to:

• develop their full potential, free from hunger and want, neglect and abuse;
• be neither the property of their parents nor the helpless objects of charity;
• be human beings and are the subject of their own rights;
• be an individual and a member of a family and community, with rights and responsibilities
appropriate to his or her age and stage of development.
Commonwealth Government values for children6 – for early childhood settings to:

• demonstrate respect, compassion and empathy for all;


• promote social inclusion;
• provide cultural recognition and identity for indigenous children;
• recognise the agency of children – that they are capable of being self directed and self
motivated.
Victorian Government Principles for Children7 including that:

• society as a whole shares responsibility for promoting the well being and safety of
children;
• parents are the primary nurturers of a child;
• services should be designed and developed in accordance with the needs of each local
community;
• give the highest priority to children and families with the greatest need;
• ensure that families are made aware of the services available to them; and
• co-operate with other services or professionals to work in the interests of the child and
family.

5
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child ratified by the Australian Government in December 1990 and
binding in January 1991 http://www.unicef.org/crc/index_30160.html
6
A national quality framework for early childhood education and care, August 2008
7
Child Well Being and Safety Act 2005 – Section 5 http://www.ocsc.vic.gov.au/legislation.htm#wellbeingsafety

Page - 26
Manningham City Council vision for health and wellbeing is linked to the following key strategies
which are illustrated below:

• Manningham Council Plan 2009-2013

• Manningham Municipal Public Health Plan 2009-2013

• Manningham Early Years Plan 2012-2018

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Section 8: Building on the Manningham Early Years Plan 2004 –
2007

The MEYP 2004-2007 was particularly effective in strengthening services, management and
partnerships with government and non-government organizations and building community
capacity through an ongoing, localised approach. Examples of achievements include:

• Development of an Early Years Service in MC² as part of the construction of a major new
community facility within Doncaster Hill;
• Council’s inaugural Recreation Strategy which identified a number of initiatives that
specifically targeted families and children in promoting physical activity and healthy
lifestyles;
• The Healthy Start Bright Futures program promoting healthy eating and physical activity, a
partnership program between Council, Kindergartens and Manningham Community
Health Service;
• Annual Healthy Lifestyle Week Program providing health and well-being programs in
partnership with a wide range of community organisations and local business including
activities for families and children;
• Establishment of the Manningham Early Years Educators Group in partnership with
DEECD;
• Ongoing annual Children’s Week events in partnership with Manningham/ Whitehorse
Regional Library;
• Development of a Family Violence Help Card to support vulnerable families.
It recognises that the role of Manningham Council in early years is as a:

• Planner
• Infrastructure Provider, and
• To advocate, and
• To facilitate Community Strengthening
These roles will continue to define and shape the implementation of the 2012-2018
Manningham Early Years Plan.

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Section 9: Listening to the Community

“A city for kids and their families to live and play in, with parks and a carnival so that everyone
can be happy.“ Kostas, Age 6, GenZ

Council believes strongly in seeking the views of the public in the development of strategies,
policies and programs to ensure they accurately reflect the needs of our community and achieve
continual improvement.

Our aim is to:

• Listen to the community as part of our decision-making.


• Base our work on sound data, evidence and analysis.
• Seek expertise, advice and information from the community and other stakeholders at the
outset of projects.
• Facilitate an approach of mutual respect and shared problem solving with the community.
• Communicate back to the community.
Input from community and service provider consultation has been used to inform this plan to
gain an understanding of the needs, thoughts and opinions of the Manningham community
towards the early years.

The consultation program included:

Early Years Service Provider Consultation.

Participants from a range of early learning and education services and community agencies
attended a consultation session in September 2011. Seventeen attended representing Primary
Schools, Pre Schools, Community Health, Doncare, Connections and Playgroups and Toy Library.
Council officers also attended representing Library services, Maternal and Child Health and Social
and Community services.

The session was designed to be participatory, representatives were encouraged to share their
views, make comment and suggestions on future professional development and networking
opportunities. The workshop was a productive exercise with the group generously sharing their
insights, experience, and relevant local research.

Doncaster East / Donvale Precinct Community Forum

Each of the kindergartens in the precinct participated in a community consultation focusing on


open dialogue between Council and members of the committees of management for future

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kindergarten service planning and operation in the precinct. The forum provided an opportunity
for Council to present demographic projections and an overview of the status and implications of
the Doncaster East Village Structure Plan.

Telephone survey

In February 2009 a telephone survey of 355 Manningham residents with children between the
ages of 0-8 was conducted. The survey gauged community satisfaction and utilisation of
children’s services and identified:

• that nearly 2/3 of the respondents were in agreement with the proposition for the co-
location and integration of children’s services from a single site;

• 73% considered that it is important to have a kindergarten in close proximity to their


preferred primary school;

• over 40% of participants considered the following services as ‘important’ to have in the
one location – Long Day Care (57%), Kindergarten (54%), Maternal and Child Health
(51%), Playgroup (46%) and Occasional Child Care (40%).

Further early years specific information has been drawn from the consultation
mechanisms from the Generation 2030 Community Plan development and regular
Council facilitation of the Manningham Early Years Network.

Consultation has identified opportunities for:

 Enhanced community and service provider partnerships

 Capacity building and professional development opportunities with the significant federal
and state early policy changes under the National Quality Framework

 Cross sectoral and community partnerships

 Provision of flexible early childhood services across a range of settings

 Embracing a more integrated early years service system including notional support for the
concept of a hub in the Doncaster East / Donvale precinct

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Section 10: Future Early Years Infrastructure in Manningham

10.1 Introduction

To examine the early years infrastructure requirements for the duration of the plan (2012 to
2018) and beyond throughout Manningham, it is important to take into account the following:

• The impacts of the National Quality Framework specifically:


o Universal Access to 15 hours kindergarten for all four year olds in the year
commencing school from 2013;
o Revised staff:child ratios of 3 and 4 year old children by 2016.
• Manningham population projections;
• International evidence of investment in the early years;
• Local evidence and policy developments supporting transition to a model of integrated
early childhood education and care.

10.2 Background

Early years services are currently experiencing unprecedented shifts in policy and initiatives. For
this reason, this section of the plan provides a brief synopsis of the three key initiatives which
can impact on children’s services infrastructure planning, maintenance and provision:

• National Early Years Learning Framework


• Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework
• Universal Access to 15 hours Kindergarten
Australia has committed to a National Quality Agenda for early childhood education and care.
The National Early Years Learning Framework (NEYLF) is an important component of this agenda
which aims to improve the safety, early learning and wellbeing of all children. Not only is a
National Framework central in terms of better outcomes for children and their families but it
reinforces the value of educators’ work and keeps children and their rights at the forefront of
public debate.

The NEYLF has been developed for all educators working with children from birth to five years in
a range of settings across the country. With an emphasis on play based learning, it articulates a
broad vision for children’s learning along with five key learning outcomes.

• Children have a strong sense of identity


• Children are connected with and contribute to their world

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• Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
• Children are confident and involved learners
• Children are effective communicators.
In the Victorian context with the release of the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development
Framework (VEYLDF), it is important that both the National and State Frameworks inform
practice. The VEYLDF encompass the key outcomes from the EYLF and in addition articulates the
link between the early years and the first years of school. In this way learning is seen as a lifelong
undertaking requiring smooth transition from one setting to another.

The Council of Australian Government’s (COAG) National Partnership Agreement on Early


Childhood Education (the NPECE) was signed in November 2008, with the aim that :

• By 2013 every child will have access to a kindergarten program in the 12 months prior to
full-time schooling.
• The kindergarten program is to be delivered by a four year university qualified early
childhood teacher, in accordance with a national early years learning framework, for 15
hours a week, 40 weeks a year.
Reasonable transitional arrangements—including potentially beyond 2013—are needed to
implement the commitment to kindergarten program delivery by four year university qualified
early childhood teachers, as agreed in the bilateral agreement.

The aim of the program is to be accessible across a diversity of settings, in a form that meets the
needs of parents and in a manner that ensures cost does not present a barrier to access.

The NPECE recognises the importance of early childhood to human capital development and
Australia’s future prosperity. The agreement forms a crucial part of COAG’s broader participation
and productivity agenda and Victoria is committed to working in partnership with the
Commonwealth Government, local government, for profit and not-for-profit sectors and the
community in delivering on this important initiative.

10.3 Universal Access to 15 Hours Kindergarten

The implementation of universal access to 15 hours of kindergarten in the year before school
(universal access):

• Recognises that quality kindergarten programs improve children’s learning, health and
behaviour with positive impacts extending into adult life;
• Enables children and families to have access to a high quality developmental program in a
range of settings such as public, private and community based kindergartens and
childcare services;
• Supports a successful transition to formal schooling;

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• Supports planning of an integrated service system;
• Is a major component of the Commonwealth Government’s early childhood reform
agenda and is consistent with the current Victorian Government’s policy direction.
Municipal planning for implementation of Universal Access to 15 hours of kindergarten
commenced in October 2009. Manningham Council has submitted two Capacity Assessment
Reports to date on achieving universal access to 15 hours of kindergarten. The intent of these
reports was to specifically identify and address:

• The support of Council and local stakeholders and identifier locations where significant
change would be required to implement a 15 hour kindergarten program.
• Identification of detailed options to phase implementation of access to the 15 hours of
kindergarten funding that takes into account current areas of unmet demand needs and
projected demands.
• A multi-year strategy of the infrastructure required to meet increased demand of
universal access and any capacity pressures triggered by the move from 10 to 15 hours.

Staffing Ratios and Qualifications

When considering options for operational models in the transition to Universal Access, the
staffing requirements as specified in the Children’s Services regulations (Victoria, 2009) must be
considered. These are:

Staff: child ratios

1 staff to 4 children aged 0-3 years old

1 staff to 15 children aged 3-5 years old

Staff Qualification ratios:

1 qualified staff to 12 children aged 0-3 years old

1 qualified staff to 30 children 3-5 years old

National Regulations will also require services to observe and implement:

• 2014 50% of all qualified staff must be Diploma (or above) qualified
• 2014 All other staff must be Certificate III trained (or working towards)
• 2016 a 1:11 ratio for 3-5 year olds
Each of these initiatives needs to be considered in the future planning, maintenance and
development of early years infrastructure in Manningham.

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10.5 The Local Environment – Three and Four year old Enrolments in
Manningham

Summary of findings of 4 year old kindergarten enrolments in 2010:

• Table 1 (over page) shows that approximately 112% of four year old children (based on
2010 population projections and the enrolment data provided by DEECD) in Manningham
attend 4 year old kindergarten in either a kindergarten or long day care service. A greater
than 100% enrolment indicates that some four year old children are accessing a program /
service outside the municipality in which they reside (e.g. parents /carers / guardians
working or studying in Manningham who reside outside of the municipality);
• Approximately 75% of funded 4 year old enrolments in Manningham are in a stand-alone
kindergarten and the remaining 25% attend a kindergarten program within a long day
care centre;
• At a municipal level, supply is meeting demand with the number of funded places
available greater than the projected number of four year old children. At a precinct level,
the data indicates insufficient funded places in Doncaster and Warrandyte/Wonga
Park/Park Orchards;
• The greatest number of funded places is in the precinct of Doncaster East/Donvale with
over one quarter (28%) of these places in long day settings. This high number of
enrolments reflects the high number of four years olds in this precinct.

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Table 1 Actual 4 year old enrolments (in 2010 in kindergartens and long day care centres) as a percentage of 2010
population projection

Catchment areas Actual 4 year old ABS 4 year old population


enrolments in projections for 2010
kindergartens and LDC in
2010

Bulleen, Lower Templestowe, 383 (Kindergartens) 408


Templestowe 108 (LDC)
491 (Total)

Doncaster 70 (Kindergartens) 203


48 (LDC)
118 (Total)

Doncaster East, Donvale 404 (Kindergartens) 414


171 (LDC)
575 (Total)

Warrandyte, Wonga Park, Park 146 (Kindergartens) 159


Orchards 6 (LDC)
152 (Total)

TOTAL 1003 (Kindergartens) 1184


333 (LDC)
Total 1336

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Table 2: Population 2010 Actuals and 2019 projections for 3 and 4 year olds in Manningham likely to attend
8
kindergartens (to which assumptions have been applied) in order to analyse kindergarten infrastructure
requirements.

2019 2010
Projections Actual

The Projected 3 year old population that is likely to attend 3 year old
kindergarten in 2019 and attended in 2010.

Note: the 3 year old population projection for 2019 has been reduced 784 804
by 30% because the 2010 enrolment data shows that only 70% of the
3 year old population attend kindergarten.

The Projected 4 year old population that is likely to attend 4 year old
kindergarten in 2019 and attended in 2010.

Note: the 4 year old population projection for 2019 has been reduced 863 1003
by 25% because this is the percentage of 4 year old children who
attended a long day care centre in 2010.

Population of 3 and 4 year olds likely to attend kindergarten. 1647 1807

Number of children in both 3 and 4 year old groups per session (this is
22 23 – 27
based on the staff:child ratio of 1:11 for 2019 and 1:15 for 2010)

Number of hours 4 year old children have and will attend kindergarten Range
15
per week 10.75 – 18

Number of hours 3 year old children have and will attend kindergarten 3 or 5
per week depending Range
upon the 5–6
Model

Number of stand-alone kindergartens (both Council owned and non- 26 (22 are 26 (22 are
Council owned) in Manningham in 2010 Council Council
owned) owned)

8
Projections for one year beyond the life of the plan have been utilised for forward planning.

Page - 36
10.6 Snapshot – Infrastructure Requirements post Introduction of Universal
Access and Improved Staff Ratios

Based on the assumptions in Table 2 the number of 3 and 4 year old groups per week per
kindergarten facility required to deliver kindergarten sessions in Manningham in 2019 is as
follows:

• 3 year old population of 784 children / 22 children per group (based on staff:child ratio of
1:11) = 36 groups
• 4 year old population of 863 children /22 children per group = 39 groups
• Total 3 and 4 year old population of 1647 children /22 children per group = 75 groups

Currently 26 kindergarten facilities operate within Manningham hence available demographic


data and forward planning of kindergarten timetabling and modeling indicates that supply of
places has the capacity to meet demand.

Based on the assumption that each kindergarten facility would have at least 1 x 4 year old group
and 1 x 3 year old group per week then the following number of kindergartens would be
required to accommodate the 3 and 4 year old groups:

• 14 kindergartens could accommodate 2 x 4 year old groups = 28 groups


• and 11 kindergartens could accommodate 1 x 4 year old groups = 11 groups
o Thus 25 kindergartens in total could accommodate 39 groups of 4 year olds

• 11 of these 25 kindergartens could also accommodate 2 x 3 year old groups = 22 groups


o However only 50% would be able to progress to the 4 year old group.

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• and 14 of these 25 kindergartens could also accommodate 1 x 3 year old group = 14
groups
o Thus 25 kindergartens in total could accommodate 36 groups of 3 year olds

Within the next 10 years, in line with emerging international and local evidence, available
funding, implementation of the National Quality Framework and structure planning
recommendations it is recommended that Council continue to closely monitor and review data
to determine the development of integrated children’s services hubs where required in the
following precincts:

• Bulleen, Templestowe and Lower Templestowe


• Doncaster East / Donvale
Each integrated children’s services hub should be designed considering the needs of the
community and preferably not result in the displacement of any program.

As a minimum, past State Government funding criteria has identified that each facility should
include provision for kindergarten, Maternal and Child Health, long day care and education and
community space for playgroups, early intervention services or other similar activities.

10.7 International Evidence for Early Years Integration

Around the world there is increasing interest, attention and investment into strategies and
programs targeting the early years of life. This is largely in response to concerns articulated since
the 1970s that, along with the rapid changes to society, increasing material wealth of industrial
nations and fast growth of technology, there has been a troubling rise in the rate of societal
breakdown, with the effect on children and young people of rising rates of alienation, rebellion,
delinquency, mental health problems and violence. At the same time there have been major
break throughs in our understanding of child health and development, the precursors of illness,
alienation and wellbeing, and how lives are affected by the families, communities and societies
in which we live.

There is now a growing body of evidence that it is possible and cost-effective to intervene early
in the life cycle to prevent many later problems. At the same time it has become clear that in
most countries the service system has not been able to address the contemporary needs of
children and their families without radical restructuring.

It is clear that we need to carefully determine our priorities, and our ways of delivering services if
we want to contribute to more positive societies through improved health and education
outcomes for children and young people.

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There is now broad consensus around the world from economists and experts of all political
persuasions that investment in early childhood programs has substantial rewards. Investment in
such programs easily pays for itself over time by generating very high rates of return both for
participants and their families, the public, and government (Lynch, 2004). The benefits include:

• Greater success at school, including higher achievement, less grade retention, higher
graduation rates;
• Higher employment and earnings;
• Better health outcomes;
• Less welfare dependency; and
• Lower government expenditure in the medium to long term;
• Lower crime rates.

10.8 Transition to a model of Integrated Children’s Services

Internationally there is a growing trend towards developing services that support a continuity of
learning from the early years in child care through to primary school and beyond. This can be
understood as the integration of children’s services.

Integrated early years centres, the physical manifestation of integrated services, provide a range
of services for children and families from a single location, offering the benefits of stability and
convenience for families and improved coordination of the care and education of children. A
single building or cluster of buildings in one location can provide families with:

• Maternal and Child Health services


• long day care, kindergarten and occasional care services
• educational facilities such as primary and secondary schools
• a variety of parent support services
• other community services such as health, recreation, youth, adult learning centres, library
and pre-employment services

The Australian Government explicitly supports the integration of children’s services. The national
agenda for early childhood education and child care focuses on providing Australian families with
‘high-quality, accessible and affordable integrated early childhood education and child care’ 9.
The agenda has a strong emphasis on connecting with schools to ensure all Australian children

9
http://www.deewr.gov.au/EarlyChildhood/Policy_Agenda/Pages/home.aspx
are fully prepared for learning and life. Refer to Appendix 4 for a detailed analysis of Federal and
State policy supporting the implementation of integrated services.

Key evidence in the establishment and support of integrated children’s centres identifies that
these centres can:

• Promote optimal developmental health, learning and wellbeing outcomes for all children
and their families;
• Increase access and participation in early childhood services, including kindergarten
programs for children with additional needs and their families (e.g. children with a
disability);
• Provide high-quality programs that meet the developmental and educational needs of
each child;
• Identify children with additional needs early and ensure these children and their families
receive support and early intervention;
• Incorporate the research and principles of Best Start into service delivery models;
• Better identify children at risk of harm and aim to ensure that these children are
protected and families supported;
• Actively support men and women in their parenting roles;
• Strengthen the capacity of services through integration and collaboration;
• Engage parents in the governance of centres and the development, monitoring and
evaluation of services;
• Ensure building designs and service provision enable and promote inclusion, formal and
informal support for families and staff, befriending opportunities and parent
connectedness, learning opportunities for children and parents and flexible child care;
• Improve access to services for culturally and linguistically diverse families with young
children;
• Improve access to services for Indigenous children and their families;
• Enhance professional collaboration to improve understanding of the service system and
best practice;
• Initiate a staged approach to delivering more integrative and collaborative early childhood
services to meet the needs of Victorian families;
• Support families to manage work and family balance;
• Provide services that meet needs identified in Municipal Early Years Plans.

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Further, Integrated children’s centres have the capacity to influence the following direct effects
or outcomes:

• Families can find it easier to access early childhood and family support services;
• Services can be more effectively integrated;
• Parents can be better informed about available services and facilities;
• Families can have stronger social support networks;
• Children’s health and developmental problems will be diagnosed earlier;
• Referral of children with health or developmental problems to specialist services will be
prompter;
• Problems with parenting and family functioning will be recognised earlier;
• Referral of parents and families experiencing difficulties in parenting and meeting family
needs will be prompter.

If these outcomes are achieved, then there will be indirect flow-on contributions to achieving the
following broader outcomes:

• Improvements in the health, wellbeing and development of the children involved;


• Improvements in the school readiness of the children involved;
• Improvements in general family functioning of the families involved;
• Improvements in the ability of the families involved to meet their children’s learning and
care needs.

10.9 Schools as Community Facilities

The Victorian State Government is actively promoting partnerships with the community and
families in order to strengthen local communities including early childhood service delivery. The
Government aims to explore opportunities for sharing school facilities for a range of services to
achieve better outcomes for all.

In Victoria, the 2011 Victorian Families Statement lays the groundwork for an ongoing
assessment of where the Government needs to focus, to create opportunities for families to
achieve their aspirations and to set policy directions. This document outlines objectives for
educating children to fulfill their potential, starting in early childhood.

Whilst the Schools as Community Facilities(2005) of the former State Government is currently
under review, the current Minister for Education, Martin Dixon MP has expressed support for
the use of school facilities by the broader community and in particular the benefits of co-location
of kindergartens onto school sites.

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The Schools as Community Facilities policy and guidelines promotes co-location of kindergarten
and child care services with primary schools as a means to providing a seamless transition
between kindergarten and school, offering flexibility and choice for working families and
maximizing access to services.

Alongside State Government initiatives the Commonwealth Government in 2009 also made a
commitment to establish new long day care centres on school, TAFE, university and community
sites across Australia. Together these initiatives create new opportunities to co-locate early
childhood services on or near school sites and use schools and children’s services as platforms to
deliver other community services for families.

Services need to reflect the unique needs of families who make up each local community and
Local Government has a critical role to play in the leadership, planning and co-ordination of new
opportunities to partner with schools and other community sites.

The MEYP 2012-2018 Action Plan identifies under Theme 1: Multifunctional Infrastructure – to
develop infrastructure at key locations to facilitate integrated service models that are responsive
to the needs and priorities of local families. The action to build on local area infrastructure
planning to strengthen connections and access to services requires that Council work in
partnership with the State Government, local primary schools and churches to investigate the
opportunity to locate kindergartens onto or adjacent to school or church sites.

10.10 Integrated Children’s Service Hubs in Manningham

The Civic Precinct Community Hub (known as MC²) is part funded by the Victorian State
Governments Children’s Capital Program, specifically a Children’s Centre Grant managed by the
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. The intent of the Children’s Centre
grants is to contribute to the capital investment required to build a community based, not-for-
profit Children’s Centre. These centres will offer maximum convenience, flexibility and choice for
parents by combining a range of integrated services that a family may need to help raise young
children. Children’s centres are central to the State Government strategy to improve quality and
accessibility of early childhood services by emphasising the importance of integrated early
childhood services.

The objectives of the program that will influence the development and ongoing operation of the
integrated children’s services within the MC² include:

• to promote integrated, inclusive and collaborative early childhood services that provide
high quality programs to meet the health, care and educational needs of young children
0–8;
• to provide convenience and stability to children and parents;

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• to strengthen the capacity of professionals to identify and provide timely support to
vulnerable families;
• to provide a ready network of peers to support professionals who previously worked in
isolation;
• to support the creation of child-friendly communities, and
• to engage parents and community members in the development, monitoring and
evaluation of early years services.
Early Years Services operating from the MC² development will include the Doncaster Maternal
and Child Health Centre, a multi-nurse centre; Manningham Community Health Services;
Doncare and an Early Years Child Care and Kindergarten service.

In the past Council’s planning and development of early year’s infrastructure has been broadly
based on four areas within the municipality and identification of potential precincts for early
years integrated children’s services hubs. To date, hubs have been developed in Wonga Park
(Wonga Park Community Centre) and in Doncaster (MC²).

Consultation and community engagement is a key component for the planning and development
of early years services. For the duration of this plan the potential for integrated early years
services development in the Doncaster East/Donvale precinct and the Bulleen/Lower
Templestowe/Templestowe precinct will be closely monitored and relevant data reviewed. This
will be dependant upon population statistics, community need, infrastructure capacity and
flexibility. The transition to early years community hub development is in direct response to
ageing infrastructure, available funding, the evidence base for integration and neighbourhood
structure planning.

10.11 Integrated Early Years Community Hub in the Doncaster East / Donvale
Precinct

Demographic projections cross tabulated and analysed with the implications of introduction of
early years reforms, specifically Universal Access and changes to staff:child ratios indicate that
across the Manningham municipality kindergarten service supply will meet demand with some
changes required to service timetabling.

Council is committed to the development of integrated early year’s services where required
across the municipality.

Population projections specific to the Doncaster East / Donvale precinct identify no change in the
3 to 5 years population for the duration of this plan and beyond. There is insufficient evidence to
suggest any immediate additional preschool places are required in the precinct. Close
monitoring and review of ABS 2011 Census statistics will be undertaken as soon as data is
available in 2012 and cross referenced and updated in this Plan.

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However any future council investment in planning and delivery of early years services should
focus on the support of integrated service sites that support flexible layout and room designs to
strategically support the needs of an ageing community whilst continuing to meet needs of
current community demographics.

Significant change within this precinct will result from the implementation of the Doncaster East
Village Structure Plan (the ‘Structure Plan’). This identifies integrated development of the
precinct for the next 15-20 years. The Structure Plan identifies redevelopment of the
Montgomery Street precinct to incorporate medium density residential development, including
up to three storey apartment style development. Following considerable consultation Council
resolved on 29 November 2011 to retain the Doncaster East Preschool within the Montgomery
Street precinct . The Structure Plan provides an opportune environment to consider options for
the location of the preschool. The options would include maintaining the status quo, i.e.
retaining the existing site and facility or alternatively redeveloping old for new, a single playroom
kindergarten within the Montgomery Street or adjacent area as part of the master planning
exercise for the precinct which is expected to be completed by the end of 2012.

In conclusion, there is a strong and sustained commitment to the integration of children’s


services apparent in policy contexts at each of the national, state and local level. These
respective policy contexts are generally consistent and complementary. The future of Victorian
Children’s Capital Grants is unknown but it can be assumed that similar criteria will be attached
to the future funding of integrated children’s centres based on the strong international and
national evidence base.

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Section 11: The MEYP 2012-2018

Vision

Council’s vision for its MEYP 2012-2018 reflects its broad corporate direction; the strengths of
the previous MEYP and Municipal Wide Early Years Infrastructure Plan; the early years evidence
base, government policy direction and community aspirations.

“Connecting communities to strengthen families and enhance children’s


education, health and wellbeing.”
It focuses on five themes:

Multifunctional Infrastructure – develop infrastructure at key locations to facilitate integrated


service models that are responsive to the needs and priorities of local families.

Community Engagement and Advocacy – facilitate opportunities for community collaboration


and advocate for the agreed priorities

Health and Well being –promote services that provide social and educational learning
opportunities for families and children.

Supporting Capacity Building – collaborative policy development and professional development


opportunities

Family Strengthening – support and facilitate accessible, inclusive services, programs and
opportunities in response to emerging issues.

The MEYP provides a strategic framework for council action in relation to the education, care
and health of young children living in the municipality.

The MEYP 2012-2018 identifies a range of strategies that will support Council, in partnership
with both service providers and the broader community, to manage and plan for the multiple
issues and opportunities embedded within the early years sector and other external localized
influences including:

Impact of National and State government Early Years Reforms including:

o 15 Hours Universal Access

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o Improved Staff to child ratios

o Changes to Staff minimum qualification levels

o Implementation of a National Early Years Learning Framework and the Victorian State Early
Years Learning and Development Framework

o Introduction of national quality standards for early childhood education and care

o Introduction of a Quality Rating System to drive continuous improvement and provide


parents with robust and relevant information about the quality of learning and care.

o Streamlining or integrating licensing and accreditation arrangements.

And locally:

o Increasing culturally and linguistically diverse community

o Ageing Council early childhood education and care infrastructure

o Release of current socio-demographic data from the 2011 ABS census from June 2012

o Need for enhanced community and service provider partnerships

o Evidence supporting provision of flexible early childhood services across a range of


settings, embracing a more integrated early years service system

The MEYP Action Plan includes a number of strategic actions to enhance local area planning –
including strengthening the Manningham Early Years Network and working in partnership with
the State Government, local primary schools and churches to investigate the opportunity to
locate kindergartens onto or adjacent to school or church sites. It also includes future
monitoring, analysis and review of evidence, planning and development of potential integrated
early years services in the Bulleen, Templestowe and Lower Templestowe and Doncaster East /
Donvale areas. Forward planning for universal access to 15 hours of kindergarten will ensure
that there will be better links between kindergarten, childcare and schools and the municipality
will be ready to take on this major national reform.

Page - 46
Manningham Early Years Action Plan
Theme 1. Multifunctional Infrastructure – • build on the local area infrastructure planning to strengthen connections and access to services for families and
children at a local level
develop infrastructure at key locations to facilitate
• monitor and review evidence for potential development of integrated early years services that incorporate early
integrated service models that are responsive to years, primary, secondary and universal services within the four areas of the municipality
the needs and priorities of local families • involve the community when considering how early years services are designed and delivered
• lead infrastructure process

Theme 2. Community Engagement and • continue to strengthen collaborative community and organisational partnerships across services and programs.
Advocacy – facilitate opportunities for • consult with children to hear their voices in relation to issues that impact their lives
• ensure families can participate in early years planning processes
community collaboration and advocate for the
• support families to be actively involved in participating in the operation and management of local services
agreed priorities • continue to advocate and respond to Local, State and Commonwealth Government directions and initiatives
which support delivery of affordable, accessible quality early years services

Theme 3. Health and Wellbeing – promote • promote awareness of the range of current early years related projects and/or initiatives in Manningham that
support health and wellbeing
services that provide social and educational
• provide opportunities for families and children to actively engage in the unique natural environments within
learning opportunities for families and children Manningham
• improve and maintain high levels of participation in M&CH key ages and stages

Theme 4. Supporting Best Practice – • improve connection and integration between early years services
collaborative policy development and professional • support the implementation of the continuous quality improvement

development opportunities • support all early years stakeholders to engage and support at risk and vulnerable families
• continue to enable family and children to access high quality services

Theme 5. Family Strengthening – support • provide opportunities and support families to maximise their children’s development
and facilitate accessible, inclusive services, • support the development of a service system that supports seamless transition for children and families
program and opportunities in response to • provide information so parents can make informed decisions
emerging issues
Manningham Early Years Action Plan

Theme 1. Multifunctional Infrastructure – develop infrastructure at key locations to facilitate integrated


service models that are responsive to the needs and priorities of local families

Strategy Action Responsibility / Timeline Resources Key Performance


Partnerships Indicator

Build on the local area Strengthen partnerships of the Manningham Early Council Lead 2012 Internal Demonstrated
infrastructure planning to Years Network. partnership projects
strengthen connections Service Providers arising from
and access to services for collaborations by
families and children at a members of the
local level. Network.

Monitor and review Include Early Years as a regular item on the agenda of Council Lead 2012 and ongoing Internal Completed
evidence for potential the Community Services Advisory Committee (CSAC). evaluation report of
development of Service Providers review process.
integrated early years, Identify suitable locations, mix of services and
timeframes for the potential development of Community
services that incorporate
integrated early years hubs, early years services in members
early years primary,
secondary and universal community hubs or redevelopment of existing
services within the four infrastructure for :
areas of the municipality.
• Bulleen, Templestowe and Lower Templestowe
• Doncaster East, Donvale
Strategy Action Responsibility / Timeline Resources Key Performance
Partnerships Indicator

Involve the community Engage families in community appropriate early years Council Lead 2012 and ongoing Internal Community engaged
when considering how service planning and development. in design and delivery
early years services are Service Providers of early years
designed & delivered. Engage with families using Council early years services services.
to gauge satisfaction and identify opportunities for Community
service improvement. members

Lead infrastructure In collaboration with the community, early years Council 2012 and ongoing Internal Demonstrated
development process services, State Government, local churches and the leadership
Manningham Early Years Network lead investigation of
the opportunity to locate kindergartens onto or
adjacent to school or church sites.

Theme 2. Community Engagement and Advocacy - facilitate opportunities for community collaboration
and advocate for the agreed priorities

Strategy Action Responsibility Timeline Resources Key Performance


/ Partnerships Indicator

Continue to strengthen Continue to coordinate and support the Manningham Council Lead 2012 and ongoing Within existing Council MEYN meeting
collaborative community Early Years Network (MEYN). resources quarterly.
and organisational Service
partnerships across Review the membership of MEYN to ensure cross Providers Broad membership of
services and programs. sector representation and participation. MEYN including
Community Council officers and
Investigate opportunities for members of MEYN to members cross representation
provide formal guidance to Council in the provision of of local service

Page - 49
Strategy Action Responsibility Timeline Resources Key Performance
/ Partnerships Indicator

improved local services for children and families. 2012 providers.

Terms of Reference
established for
MEYAC.

Consult with children and Develop an Early Years Consultation and Council 2012 and ongoing Within existing Council Service planning and
families to hear their Communication Strategy. The strategy to identify a resources programs reflect the
voices in relation to issues variety of tools and techniques to consult with contributions by
that impact on their lives. children to inform MCC planning processes. children.

Ensure families can Develop an Early Years Consultation and Council 2012 Within existing Council Completed
participate in early years Communication Strategy which identifies resources Consultation and
planning processes. methodology for engaging families. Communication
Strategy.

Support families to be Facilitate training and provide support to community Council lead 2012 and ongoing Within existing Council Annual training
actively involved in owned and/or operated early years services budget. sessions available to
participating in the committees of management (eg Kindergartens, long early childhood
operation and day care, playgroups). volunteer committees
management of local of management.
services.

Continue to advocate and Continue to keep abreast of issues pertinent to early Council 2012 and ongoing Within existing Council Participating and
respond to Local, State years services, families and children and actively resources advocating at
and Federal Government advocate on their behalf through participation in relevant networks
directions and initiatives regional, state and federal networks and forums. and forums.
which support delivery of
affordable, accessible Implement advocacy activities to enable
quality early years implementation of changes associated with the
services. National Quality Framework and Universal Access to
15 hours of preschool education the year prior to

Page - 50
Strategy Action Responsibility Timeline Resources Key Performance
/ Partnerships Indicator

commencing school.

Theme 3. Health and Wellbeing –promote services that provide social and educational learning
opportunities for families and children.

Strategy Action Responsibility Timeline Resources Key Performance


/ Partnerships Indicator

Promote awareness of the Undertake mapping exercise of all current early Council lead 2013 Within existing Council Service system
range of current early childhood health and wellbeing initiatives. resources. mapped.
years related projects
and/or initiatives in Explore opportunities to extend the range of Council website and
Manningham that support resources and links available on the Council website resources updated to
health and wellbeing. to incorporate early childhood health and wellbeing reflect service
initiatives. mapping.

Provide opportunities for Continue to progress implementation of Council Council lead 2012 and ongoing Within existing Council Open Space Strategy
families and children to Strategies and Plans which guide the maintenance resources. reflective of family
actively engage in the and development of family friendly public reserves, Service friendly public
unique natural open spaces and streetscapes. Providers reserves and open
environments within spaces.
Community
Manningham.
members

Improve and maintain Review of current MCC Key Ages and Stages Council lead 2013 Within existing Council M&CH flexible hour
high levels of participation implementation and investigate flexible hours resources. models investigated,
in M&CH key ages and including Saturday/evening sessions; Community identified and
stages. members piloted.
2013-2014

Page - 51
Proportion of M&CH
3 and 4 year old
Facilitate parent information campaign to promote visitations has
M&CH Key Ages and Stages Visits. increased.

Theme 4. Supporting Capacity Building - collaborative policy development and professional development
opportunities

Strategy Action Responsibility Timeline Resources Key Performance


/ Partnerships Indicator

Improve connection and Identify collaborative projects arising from items of Council lead 2012 Within existing Council Actions relating to
integration between early discussion at the Community Services Advisory resources identified projects
years services. Committee (CSAC). Service from CSAC.
Providers
Ensure membership of Manningham Early Years
Network represents service users (families) service
providers (schools and NGOs), local support groups, Terms of reference
and Government. reviewed and
endorsed.

Support the Implement and support broader early years service Council lead 2012 and ongoing Within existing Council Universal Access
implementation of the understanding and implementation of: resources implemented
continuous quality Service
improvement. • National Being Belonging and Becoming Framework Providers Frameworks
understood and
• Universal Access to 15 hours Kindergarten embedded in early
childhood care and
• Victorian Early Years Learning and Development
education services
Framework “including cultural awareness training to
provide knowledge, skills and tools to create a

Page - 52
Strategy Action Responsibility Timeline Resources Key Performance
/ Partnerships Indicator

supportive and sustaining experience for indigenous


families.”

• Framework for School Aged Care

• Maternal and Child Health Key Age and Stages

Apply for appropriate and relevant State and Council lead 2012 and ongoing Within existing Council Successful
Commonwealth funding that strengthens the support resources applications.
and implementation the National Quality Framework

Continue to provide Council early years staff with Council 2012 and ongoing Within existing Council Professional
professional development opportunities. resources development
implemented

Support all early years Continue to provide capacity building opportunities Council lead 2012 and ongoing Within existing Council Professional
stakeholders to engage for Committees of Management and early years staff resources development
and support at risk and to support the inclusion of at-risk and vulnerable Service opportunities
vulnerable families. children participating in early years services. providers focused on
supporting children
and families who may
be experiencing
disadvantage

Continue to enable family Develop and implement workforce attraction and Council 2012 and ongoing Within existing Council Stable and
and children to access retention strategies for Council’s early years resources appropriately
high quality early years workforce including Maternal and Child Health and qualified early years
services. early years educators workforce.

Page - 53
Theme 5. Family Strengthening - support and facilitate accessible, inclusive services, programs and
opportunities in response to emerging issues.

Strategy Action Responsibility Timeline Resources Key Performance


/ Partnerships Indicator

Provide opportunities and Continue to identify opportunities for integrated early Council 2012 and ongoing Within existing Council Completion of local
support families to years services at a local level. resources area needs reports.
maximize their children’s
development

Support the development Investigate opportunities to implement a Central Council lead 2014 Within existing Council Central Enrolment
of a service system that Enrolment and Waiting List for four year old resources. Reviewed and
supports seamless kindergarten. Service Recommendations to
transition for children and providers Council completed.
families
The MEYN investigate opportunities for family Council lead 2012 and ongoing Within existing Council Annual Parent
seminars that support and assist in the transition to resources. Seminar
school. Service
providers

Provide information so Map early childhood services and programs in Council lead 2013 Within existing Council Documented
parents can make Manningham and in consultation with MEYN identify resources opportunities.
informed decisions. gaps and potential opportunities. Service
providers Record of information
Accessible, relevant information is made available for 2012 and ongoing provided.
all families residing, working or playing in
Manningham.
2012 and ongoing as Updated data
Update socio demographic data in this plan with
information becomes inclusion completed.
release of 2011 ABS census from June 2012.
available.

Page - 54
Appendix One – Manningham Projected Age Breakdown by Suburb 2012, 2016 and 2019

Area Age (years) 2012 2016 2019 Change 2012- Proportion or 
2019

0 to 4 years 557 4.9 564 4.8 569 4.8 12 


5 to 11 years 797 7.0 802 6.8 810 6.9 13 
12 to 17 years 744 6.5 773 6.6 771 6.5 27 no change
18 to 24 years 994 8.7 1054 9.0 1067 9.0 73 
25 to 34 years 1458 12.7 1523 13.0 1539 13.0 81 

Bulleen 35 to 49 years 2386 20.8 2417 20.6 2399 20.3 13 


50 to 59 years 1320 11.5 1418 12.1 1476 12.5 156 
60 to 69 years 1222 10.7 1157 9.9 1161 9.8 -61 
70 to 84 years 1730 15.1 1715 14.6 1670 14.1 -60 
85 and over years 245 2.1 311 2.7 344 2.9 99 
Total 11453 100.0 11734 100.0 11806 100.0 353
0 to 4 years 952 4.5 974 4.2 1045 4.2 93 
5 to 11 years 1399 6.6 1481 6.4 1511 6.1 112 
12 to 17 years 1368 6.5 1441 6.2 1517 6.1 149 
18 to 24 years 1937 9.1 2139 9.3 2294 9.3 357 
25 to 34 years 2636 12.4 2974 12.9 3256 13.2 620 
Doncaster (Suburb 35 to 49 years 4220 19.9 4632 20.1 4993 20.2 773 
Total) 50 to 59 years 2560 12.1 2786 12.1 3042 12.3 482 
60 to 69 years 2569 12.1 2600 11.3 2690 10.9 121 
70 to 84 years 2989 14.1 3356 14.5 3595 14.6 606 
85 and over years 575 2.7 685 3.0 764 3.1 189 
Total 21205 100.0 23068 100.0 24707 100.0 3502
0 to 4 years 895 4.6 885 4.5 898 4.5 3 
Doncaster Balance
5 to 11 years 1273 6.6 1269 6.4 1250 6.3 -23 
12 to 17 years 1239 6.4 1245 6.3 1253 6.3 14 
Area Age (years) 2012 2016 2019 Change 2012- Proportion or 
2019

18 to 24 years 1682 8.7 1715 8.7 1738 8.7 56 no change


25 to 34 years 2279 11.8 2340 11.9 2365 11.9 86 
35 to 49 years 3825 19.9 3928 20.0 3986 20.0 161 
50 to 59 years 2353 12.2 2420 12.3 2504 12.6 151 
60 to 69 years 2389 12.4 2277 11.6 2222 11.1 -167 
70 to 84 years 2786 14.5 2988 15.2 3061 15.3 275 
85 and over years 534 2.8 615 3.1 668 3.3 134 
Total 19255 100.0 19682 100.0 19945 100.0 690
0 to 4 years 1414 4.9 1411 4.8 1414 4.8 0 
5 to 11 years 2147 7.4 2148 7.3 2153 7.3 6 
12 to 17 years 2226 7.7 2175 7.4 2163 7.3 -63 
18 to 24 years 2870 9.9 2822 9.6 2801 9.5 -69 
25 to 34 years 3381 11.7 3428 11.7 3422 11.6 41 
35 to 49 years 5996 20.7 5908 20.2 5905 20.0 -91 
Doncaster East
50 to 59 years 3910 13.5 4002 13.7 4002 13.6 92 

60 to 69 years 3423 11.8 3468 11.8 3461 11.7 38 


70 to 84 years 2980 10.3 3303 11.3 3550 12.0 570 
85 and over years 568 2.0 618 2.1 630 2.1 62 
Total 28915 100.0 29283 100.0 29501 100.0 586
0 to 4 years 57 2.9 88 2.6 146 3.1 89 
Doncaster Hill
5 to 11 years 126 6.5 212 6.3 261 5.5 135 
12 to 17 years 129 6.6 196 5.8 263 5.5 134 
18 to 24 years 254 13.1 423 12.5 556 11.7 302 
25 to 34 years 357 18.3 633 18.7 891 18.7 534 
35 to 49 years 394 20.2 703 20.8 1007 21.2 613 
50 to 59 years 206 10.6 365 10.8 537 11.3 331 
60 to 69 years 179 9.2 323 9.6 468 9.8 289 

Page - 56
Area Age (years) 2012 2016 2019 Change 2012- Proportion or 
2019

70 to 84 years 203 10.4 368 10.9 534 11.2 331 


85 and over years 41 2.1 69 2.0 95 2.0 54 
Total 1946 100.0 3380 100.0 4758 100.0 2812
0 to 4 years 645 5.0 629 4.8 624 4.8 -21 
5 to 11 years 996 7.7 967 7.4 958 7.3 -38 
12 to 17 years 980 7.6 944 7.2 933 7.1 -47 
18 to 24 years 1218 9.4 1148 8.8 1114 8.5 -104 
25 to 34 years 1308 10.1 1311 10.1 1292 9.9 -16 
35 to 49 years 2612 20.2 2515 19.3 2446 18.7 -166 
Donvale
50 to 59 years 1718 13.3 1749 13.4 1731 13.2 13 
60 to 69 years 1637 12.6 1577 12.1 1543 11.8 -94 
70 to 84 years 1492 11.5 1779 13.7 1981 15.2 489 
85 and over years 355 2.7 413 3.2 451 3.4 96 
Total 12961 100.0 13032 100.0 13073 100.0 112
0 to 4 years 252 5.4 257 5.5 262 5.5 10 

5 to 11 years 501 10.8 499 10.6 506 10.7 5 


12 to 17 years 472 10.2 472 10.1 474 10.0 2 
18 to 24 years 463 10.0 451 9.6 447 9.4 -16 
25 to 34 years 350 7.6 366 7.8 368 7.8 18 
Park Orchards - 35 to 49 years 1077 23.2 1054 22.5 1047 22.1 -30 
Ringwood North 50 to 59 years 667 14.4 714 15.2 725 15.3 58 
60 to 69 years 493 10.6 469 10.0 476 10.1 -17 
70 to 84 years 339 7.3 383 8.2 404 8.5 65 
85 and over years 21 0.5 23 0.5 25 0.5 4 no change
Total 4635 100.0 4688 100.0 4734 100.0 99
0 to 4 years 795 4.7 779 4.6 788 4.5 -7 
Templestowe
5 to 11 years 1242 7.3 1211 7.1 1229 7.1 -13 

Page - 57
Area Age (years) 2012 2016 2019 Change 2012- Proportion or 
2019

12 to 17 years 1369 8.0 1282 7.5 1284 7.4 -85 


18 to 24 years 1727 10.1 1594 9.3 1564 9.0 -163 
25 to 34 years 1744 10.2 1724 10.1 1714 9.8 -30 
35 to 49 years 3350 19.6 3210 18.8 3195 18.3 -155 
50 to 59 years 2478 14.5 2345 13.7 2295 13.2 -183 
60 to 69 years 2274 13.3 2269 13.3 2212 12.7 -62 
70 to 84 years 1653 9.7 2150 12.6 2537 14.6 884 
85 and over years 440 2.6 543 3.2 607 3.5 167 
Total 17072 100.0 17107 100.0 17425 100.0 353
0 to 4 years 655 4.8 615 4.5 599 4.4 -56 
5 to 11 years 994 7.3 962 7.0 936 6.8 -58 
12 to 17 years 800 5.9 814 5.9 813 5.9 13 no change
18 to 24 years 889 6.5 868 6.3 878 6.4 -11 
25 to 34 years 1500 11.0 1399 10.2 1366 9.9 -134 
Templestowe 35 to 49 years 2885 21.1 2826 20.6 2788 20.3 -97 
Lower 50 to 59 years 1579 11.6 1665 12.1 1717 12.5 138 
60 to 69 years 1860 13.6 1673 12.2 1574 11.5 -286 
70 to 84 years 2029 14.9 2342 17.1 2472 18.0 443 
85 and over years 472 3.5 552 4.0 592 4.3 120 
Total 13663 100.0 13716 100.0 13735 100.0 72
0 to 4 years 327 5.3 327 5.3 337 5.5 10 
Warrandyte -
Warrandyte South 5 to 11 years 611 9.9 592 9.7 602 9.7 -9 
12 to 17 years 651 10.6 634 10.3 629 10.2 -22 
18 to 24 years 670 10.9 632 10.3 624 10.1 -46 
25 to 34 years 491 8.0 522 8.5 528 8.5 37 
35 to 49 years 1397 22.7 1328 21.7 1318 21.3 -79 
50 to 59 years 958 15.6 960 15.7 971 15.7 13 

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Area Age (years) 2012 2016 2019 Change 2012- Proportion or 
2019

60 to 69 years 680 11.1 717 11.7 688 11.1 8 no change


70 to 84 years 302 4.9 366 6.0 428 6.9 126 
85 and over years 57 0.9 54 0.9 55 0.9 -2 
Total 6144 100.0 6132 100.0 6180 100.0 36
0 to 4 years 149 4.6 147 4.6 149 4.7 0 
5 to 11 years 315 9.7 305 9.5 300 9.4 -15 
12 to 17 years 353 10.9 322 10.1 316 9.9 -37 
18 to 24 years 325 10.1 304 9.5 285 8.9 -40 
25 to 34 years 253 7.8 256 8.0 261 8.2 8 
35 to 49 years 730 22.6 661 20.7 644 20.2 -86 
Wonga Park
50 to 59 years 596 18.4 594 18.6 551 17.3 -45 
60 to 69 years 352 10.9 405 12.7 441 13.8 89 
70 to 84 years 140 4.3 180 5.6 221 6.9 81 
85 and over years 20 0.6 22 0.7 21 0.7 1 
Total 3233 100.0 3196 100.0 3189 100.0 -44

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Appendix Two– Socio-Demographic Profile

Population

A large proportion of Manningham residents are Australian born (61%) however over a third are
born overseas (34.1%) This figure is higher than the Melbourne Statistical Division where 28.9%
of residents are born overseas.

Children aged 0 to 17 account for 21.4% of the Manningham population, whilst adults aged 18 to
64 accounts for 62% of the population and mature adults aged 65 and above account for 16.6%.
A further breakdown of the 0-17 year age group shows that children aged between 0-8 years
represent 45% of children in Manningham.

Household Composition by Families

Manningham’s population is made up of approximately 38,305 households. Family households


account for 79.5% of total households.

Overall 52.5% of the municipality’s households consist of couples with children. Couples without
children account for approximately 34.4% of Manningham’s household types, 11.6% of
households are one-parent families while 16.5% of all households consist of lone persons.
Over the last 5 years, the most notable change in household composition can be seen in, lone
person households (increase by 1.7% or 822) ‘couples without children’ (increase by 1.8% or 692)
and the ‘one parent family with children over 15 (increase by 0.8% or 269).

Likewise ‘couples with children 15 years and over’ decreased by 1.4% (331) and ‘couples with
children 15 years and under’ decreased by (1.5%) 322.

Comparing household types between City of Manningham and the Melbourne Statistical Division
in 2006 reveals a larger proportion of Family households, but a smaller proportion of lone person
households. Family households accounted for 79.5% of total households in City of Manningham
while lone person households comprised 16.5%, (68.6% and 22.7% respectively for the
Melbourne Statistical Division).

Occupation by Age and Sex

The three most popular occupations held by Manningham residents are Professionals (26.3%),
Clerical and Administration workers (16.4%) and Managers (16.2%). Combined these occupations
account for 59% of the employed resident population (31,103 people).

In the Melbourne Statistical Division, 22.6% of residents are employed as Professionals, 15.9% as
Clerical and Administrative Workers, and 12.5% as Managers. Combined these occupations
account for 51% of the workforce.

Overall in comparison to Melbourne Statistical Division Manningham has a larger percentage of


persons employed as Professionals and Managers, a smaller percentage of persons employed as
Machinery Operators and Drivers (3.0% compared to 6.4%), and, a smaller percentage of
persons employed as Labourers (5.6% compared to 8.7%).

Cultural Diversity

Manningham is a culturally diverse municipality. Thirty-four per cent of residents are born
overseas compared to 29% for the Melbourne Statistical Division. In 2006, China became the
most dominant country of origin for the first time. Prior to this, European-born migrants
particularly from Italy were our major cultural group.

Manningham residents come from over 140 countries worldwide and we have 106 languages
represented in the municipality. Twelve per cent of our population speaks Chinese (includes
residents born in China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Macau,
Laos, Cambodia).

Residents born overseas predominantly come from China (4.1) Italy (3.6%), United Kingdom
(3.3%), Greece (3.1%) and Hong Kong (2.5%). Over 11% of the Manningham population was born
in China, Malaysia, Hong Kong or Singapore.

Our emerging communities include South Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

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Overall, 60.7% of the population speak English only, and 35.7% speak a non-English language,
compared with 68.0% and 26.5% respectively for the Melbourne Statistical Division.

Employment by Occupation

A breakdown of occupations held by male and female residents can be seen below. An analysis
of the data shows that predominantly a high proportion of residents are working in jobs that are
office based and more sedentary in nature. More so there is a distinct variation in occupations
that are held by each gender.

In particular, there is a higher concentration of males holding ‘white collar’ positions as


Managers and Professionals than females. Females predominantly hold positions in the
community services area, the clerical and administrative area and the sales arena. Occupations
held by women may also reflect areas where part time work is more available or acceptable.

Overall a small proportion of the community (30% males, 9% females) are employed in more
active occupations (ie technicians and trade workers; machinery operators and drivers, and
labourers).

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Educational Choices

Analysis of the share of the population attending educational institutions in City of Manningham
in 2006 compared to the Melbourne Statistical Division shows that there was a similar
proportion attending primary school, a similar proportion attending secondary school, and a
similar proportion engaged in tertiary level education.

Overall, 7.5% of the population is attending primary school, 7.4% of the population was
attending secondary institutions, and 6.9% were learning at a tertiary level, compared with 7.8%,
6.5% and 6.9% respectively for the Melbourne Statistical Division. 64% of children attend a
government primary school, with a further 23%at Catholic

Whilst initially it appears that the majority of Manningham children are attending Government
schools at primary and secondary levels, in actual fact at the secondary level more children are
attending non-government schools.

This has financial implications for Manningham families and has the potential to limit a family’s
capacity to spend money on younger children and their educational choices.

Indigenous Population

In Manningham we have a total of 116 residents who are indigenous, 20 are aged between 0 and
9 years of age. There is no particular place of residence with population residing across
Manningham

Need for Assistance (People with disabilities)

This population is defined as people who need assistance in their day to day lives with any or all
of the following activities – self-care, body movements or communication – because of a
disability, long-term health condition, or old age. Persons under the age of 40 (including infants)
are only included if their stated reason for need for assistance was something other than ‘old or
young age’.

In Manningham, there are 224 children under the age of 14 who require assistance in their day
to day lives.

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Summary of Population Projection Characteristics and Analysis Population and
Household Forecasts

Population and Household Forecasts

The table and graph below shows the forecasted population of Manningham in the next 10 to 25
years. As is evident whilst the population and the number of households continue to grow the
size of the household is decreasing.

Summary data 2006 2016 2031


Total population 115,701 121,291 135,725
Resident population in non- 1,349 1,818 2,018
private dwellings
Resident population in private 114,352 119,471 133,709
dwellings
Households 40,642 45,118 51,838
Dwellings 41,298 45,955 52,878
Average household size 2.81 2.65 2.58

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Forecast Population Aged 0-4 and 5-9 years

The table below shows the number of 0-4 year olds and 5-9 year olds in Manningham and the
forecast change in the population between 2012 and 2019.

The population projections for both age cohorts from 2012 to 2019 shows little or no increase in
the total population.

Age structure 2012 2016 2019 Change


2012 to
2019

0-4 years 5,751 5,707 5,790 39

5-9 years 6,314 6,298 6,306 -8


Source: Informed Decisions, 2006 Population and household forecasts

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Manningham by Precinct

For the purposes of this plan and to enable localized early years infrastructure planning the
municipal area is divided into four catchment areas.

These four catchment areas comprise the following suburbs:

• Bulleen, Lower Templestowe, Templestowe


• Doncaster (including Doncaster Hill)
• Doncaster East, Donvale
• Wonga Park, Warrandyte, Park Orchards

The catchment area of Doncaster is inclusive of Doncaster Hill. Covering 58 hectares centered on
the intersection of Doncaster Road and Williamsons/Tram Road in Doncaster, Doncaster Hill is
set to be the civic heart of Manningham. The Doncaster Hill Strategy is Manningham City
Council’s response to increased demand for more appropriate, sustainable and diverse housing
options that accommodate the municipalities changing demographic and social needs. Council
formally adopted the Doncaster Hill Strategy in February 2002. The Hill is envisaged as a mixed-
use sustainable urban village with a strong sense of place and a community-focused lifestyle.
Doncaster Hill is a 20-year strategy that plans to attract 8,000 new residents with a twenty-year
vision, to create a mixed-use sustainable urban village with a strong sense of place and a
community-focused lifestyle, which is the civic heart of Manningham. Doncaster Hill will feature
contemporary medium to high density housing within walking distance to shops, restaurants and
workplaces, entertainment and public transport.

Doncaster Hill will bring together facilities and services that will appeal and cater to the needs of
a variety of residents, including families, singles, young people and senior citizens.

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Figure 2 City of Manningham – Study catchment area

Population Density per Catchment Area

Bulleen, Templestowe, Lower Templestowe


Total Population Total Population Total Population
0 to 3 years 3 to 4 years 0 to 6 years
2001 2006 2001 2006 2001 2006
Bulleen 432 437 228 208 754 745
Lower Templestowe 519 574 238 261 893 968
Templestowe 605 619 354 284 1192 1123

Total 1556 1630 820 753 2839 2836

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The characteristics of the Bulleen, Templestowe, Lower Templestowe key age cohort populations
are summarised below:

Kindergarten (aged 3-4 years):

• In 2006 the population of the key Kindergarten age cohort (ie. 3 to 4 years) within the
study catchment area was 753.
• Of the three suburbs within the catchment area, Templestowe contained the highest
number of children in this cohort (284 or 37%) of the catchment’s 3 to 4 year old
population, followed by Lower Templestowe (261 or 35%) and Bulleen (208 or 28%).
Maternal and Child Health (aged 0-3 years):

• In 2006 the population of the key maternal and child health age cohort (ie 0 to 3 years)
within the study catchment area was 1,630.

• Of the three suburbs within the catchment area, Templestowe contained the highest
number of children in this cohort (619 or 38%) of the catchment’s 0 to 3 year old
population), followed by Lower Templestowe (574 or 35%) and Bulleen (437 or 27%).

Long Day Child Care (aged 0-6 years):

• In 2006 the population of the key long day child care age cohort (i.e. 0 to 6 year olds)
within the study catchment area was 2,836.

• Of the three suburbs within the catchment area, Templestowe contained the highest
number of children in this cohort (1,123 or 40%) of the catchment’s 0 to 6 year old
population, followed by Lower Templestowe (968 or 34%) and Bulleen (745 or 26%).

Doncaster (including Doncaster Hill)

Total Population Total Population Total Population


0 to 3 years 3 to 4 years 0 to 6 years

2001 2006 2001 2006 2001 2006

Doncaster (including Doncaster Hill) 668 694 365 322 1177 1195

Total 668 694 365 322 1177 1195

The characteristics of the Doncaster (including Doncaster Hill) key age cohort populations shown
in the table above are summarised below:

Kindergarten (aged 3-4 years):

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• In 2006 the population of the key Kindergarten age cohort (ie. 3 to 4 years) within the
study catchment area was 322.
Maternal and Child Health (aged 0-3 years):

• In 2006 the population of the key maternal and child health age cohort (ie 0 to 3 years)
within the study catchment area was 694.
Long Day Child Care (aged 0-6 years):

• In 2006 the population of the key long day child care age cohort (i.e. 0 to 6 year olds)
within the study catchment area was 1,195

Doncaster East, Donvale

Total Population Total Population Total Population


0 to 3 years 3 to 4 years 0 to 6 years

2001 2006 2001 2006 2001 2006

Doncaster East 1167 1056 643 531 2061 1898

Donvale 473 474 251 256 900 884

Total 1640 1530 894 787 2691 2782

The characteristics of the Doncaster East, Donvale key age cohort populations shown in the table
above are summarised below:

Kindergarten (aged 3-4 years):

• In 2006 the population of the key Kindergarten age cohort (ie. 3 to 4 years) within the
study catchment area was 787.
Of the two suburbs within the catchment area, Doncaster East contained the highest number of
children in this cohort (531 or 67%) of the catchment’s 3 to 4 year old population, followed by
Donvale (256 or 33%).

Maternal and Child Health (aged 0-3 years):

• In 2006 the population of the key maternal and child health age cohort (ie 0 to 3 years)
within the study catchment area was 1,530.
• Of the two suburbs within the catchment area, Doncaster East contained the highest
number of children in this cohort (1,056 or 69%) of the catchment’s 0 to 3 year old
population, followed by Donvale (474 or 31%).
Long Day Child Care (aged 0-6 years):

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• In 2006 the population of the key long day child care age cohort (i.e. 0 to 6 year olds)
within the study catchment area was 2,782.
• Of the two suburbs within the catchment area, Doncaster East contained the highest
number of children in this cohort 1,898 or 68%) of the catchment’s 0 to 6 year old
population, followed by Donvale (884 or 32%).

Wonga Park, Warrandyte, Park Orchards

Total Population Total Population Total Population


0 to 3 years 3 to 4 years 0 to 6 years

2001 2006 2001 2006 2001 2006

Wonga Park 151 176 88 98 317 347

Warrandyte 243 243 138 147 472 457

Park Orchards 145 152 95 111 310 312

Total 539 571 321 356 1099 1116

The characteristics of the Wonga Park, Warrandyte, Park Orchards key age cohort populations
shown in the table above are summarised below:

Kindergarten (aged 3-4 years):

• In 2006 the population of the key Kindergarten age cohort (ie. 3 to 4 years) within the
study catchment area was 356.
• Of the three suburbs within the catchment area, Warrandyte contained the highest
number of children in this cohort (149 or 41%) of the catchment’s 3 to 4 year old
population), followed by Park Orchards (111 or 31%) and Wonga Park (98 or 28%).
Maternal and Child Health (aged 0-3 years):

• In 2006 the population of the key maternal and child health age cohort (ie 0 to 3 years)
within the study catchment area was 571.
• Of the three suburbs within the catchment area, Warrandyte contained the highest
number of children in this cohort (243 or 42%) of the catchment’s 0 to 3 year old
population), followed by Wonga Park (176 or 31%) and Park Orchards (152 or 27%).
Long Day Child Care (aged 0-6 years):

• In 2006 the population of the key long day child care age cohort (i.e. 0 to 6 year olds)
within the study catchment area was 1,116.

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• Of the three suburbs within the catchment area, Warrandyte contained the highest
number of children in this cohort 457 or 41%) of the catchment’s 0 to 6 year old
population, followed by Wonga Park (347 or 31%) and Park Orchards (312 or 28%).

Appendix Three – Australian Policy Context

Council of Australian Governments (COAG)

The 2006 endorsed COAG National Reform Agenda embodies a new collaborative approach to
federalism that encompasses nationally agreed outcomes through policy that is central to
human capital such as education and health. In December 2007, COAG agreed to a partnership
between the Federal and State and Territory Governments to pursue substantial reform in the
areas of education, skills and early childhood development. This resulted in two agreements in
2008:

• The National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education


• Closing the Gap: National Partnership for Indigenous Early Childhood Development
In December 2009 COAG agreed to a partnership to establish a National Quality Framework for
Early Childhood Education and Care for most long day care, preschool/kindergarten, family day
care and outside school hours care services in Australia.

The National Quality Framework aims to raise quality and drive continuous improvement and
consistency in education and care services and school age care through:

• the Education and Care Services National Law and the Education and Care Services
National Regulations

• the National Quality Standard for Early Childhood Education and Care and School Age
Care

• a national quality rating and assessment process

• streamlined regulatory arrangements

• a new national body jointly governed by the Australian Government and State and
Territory governments – the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority
(ACECQA) to oversee the new system.

The National Quality Framework became effective on 1 January 2012 with key requirements
being phased in over time. Requirements such as qualification, educator-to-child ratios and
other key staffing arrangements will be phased in between 2012 and 2020.

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The COAG early childhood reform agenda includes:

• Development of Belonging, Being and Becoming - the Early Years Learning Framework for
Australia10
• Initiatives to address early childhood workforce issues
• A National Quality Framework (to be in place by January 2012), including assessment of
services against a National Quality Standard to ensure a national approach to quality and
regulation of early childhood education and child care
• Improved data and performance information in early childhood, including the publication
of A Snapshot of Early Childhood Development in Australia - Australian Early Development
Index (AEDI) National Report 2009
• Development of Investing in the Early Years—A National Early Childhood Development
Strategy 2009.

The Council of Australian Government’s (COAG) National Partnership Agreement on Early


Childhood Education (the NPECE) which was signed in November 2008 with the aim that :

• By 2013 every child will have access to a preschool program in the 12 months prior to full-
time schooling.
• There is universal access to a preschool program for all children to be delivered by a four
year university qualified early childhood teacher, in accordance with a national early years
learning framework, for 15 hours a week, 40 weeks a year.
The implementation of universal access to early child education:

• Recognises that quality kindergarten programs improve children’s learning, health and
behaviour with positive impacts extending into adult life.
• Enables children and families to have access to a high quality developmental program in a
range of settings such as public, private and community based kindergartens and
childcare services.
• Supports a successful transition to formal schooling.

10
DEEWR 2009

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• Supports planning of an integrated service system.
• Is a major component of the Commonwealth Government’s early childhood reform
agenda and is consistent with the current Victorian Government’s policy direction.

Federal Government

The Federal Government ratified the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CROC)
in December 1990. Federal, State and Territory Governments in Australia are bound by the
convention, and the Federal Government is required to report regularly to the United Nations
Committee on the Rights of the Child. The Federal Government is responsible for funding a range
of childcare programs and provides income support to families with children and with children
with a disability.

In 2009, the Federal Government produced a document identifying childhood development as a


national priority (Supporting the Development of Young Children in Australia: 2009 - a Snapshot).
The following are the key Australian Government initiatives as stated in that document:

• Access to quality early childhood education for all children for 15 hours a week, for 40
weeks in the year prior to school by 2013
• Lifting quality in early childhood education and care through a new national quality
standard, an Early Years Learning Framework, a rating system so parents are informed
about service quality, and national initiatives to increase the number and qualifications of
early childhood workers
• Closing the Gap for Indigenous children with ambitious targets to halve the gap in infant
mortality and in reading, writing and numeracy within a decade and to ensure all
Indigenous children participate in quality early childhood education within five years
• Helping Australians balance work and family commitments by providing access to 18
weeks paid parental leave starting from January 2011, and providing a right to request
flexible work arrangements, for parents with children below school age
• Improving affordability of child care by increasing the Child Care Rebate from 30% to 50%
• Improving child and family health through better access to maternity services, early
intervention and prevention of chronic disease and mental health problems, and a range
of initiatives to promote healthy eating and exercise in children
• Supporting vulnerable children through the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s
Children, and through the Family Support Program
• Helping children with disabilities through early intervention under the National Disability
Agreement and the Helping Children with Autism package.

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State Government

As part of its broader policy agendas – A Fairer Victoria 2010 – the Victorian Government’s Social
Policy Action Plan and Growing Victoria Together – A Vision for Victoria to 2010 and Beyond, the
State Government provides funding for primary schools and universal early years programs such
as immunisation, libraries, community health, maternal and child health and kindergarten. It
funds a broad range of targeted and intensive services including family support and early
intervention and is responsible for Victoria’s child protection system.

Through the introduction of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005, the State Government
established principles for the wellbeing of children, a Victorian Children’s Council, a Children’s
Services Coordination Board and a Child Safety Commissioner and the notifications of births to
municipal councils. This act is the most significant piece of legislation to-date implicating local
government in the planning and delivery of early years services. The Child Youth and Families
Act 2005 reformed the system of child protection across Victoria.

Below is a brief outline of recent State Government policies related to the early years:

• The State of Victoria’s Children report, produced by the State Government annually since
2006, based on data including the Victorian Child and Adolescent Monitoring System
(VCAMS)
• Victoria’s Plan to Improve Outcomes in Early Childhood, 2007, which sets out a
framework for reform within COAG policy directions
• Blueprint for Education and Early Childhood Development, 2008 (the “Blueprint”),
containing the following four priorities:
o Increase access to high-quality early childhood programs
o Strengthen public confidence in a world-class school education system, with a
strong and vibrant government school sector at its core
o Integrate services for children and families
o Improve outcomes for disadvantaged young Victorians

The Blueprint identifies specific actions to achieve six goals, organised under the following
three major strategies:

• System improvements
• Partnerships with parents and communities
• Workforce reform

Blueprint for Education and Early Childhood Development: One Year On, 2009, which sets out
the achievements of the Blueprint in its first year of implementation, and the following is a

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snapshot of some of the new initiatives for 2010 (many of which are likely to have
implications for Municipal Early Years Planning):
• Implement the revised Kindergarten Cluster Management Policy Framework to develop
stronger local networks, more effective local planning and greater integration of care and
education
• Trial the establishment of extended school hubs in low socio-economic locations agreed
under the National Partnership on Low Socioeconomic Status School Communities
• Release a 10-year plan to improve outcomes for all Victorian Aboriginal children and
young people
• Develop a rural education strategy to strengthen education delivery in rural and remote
schools
• Develop a framework for collaboration with the community sector on education and early
childhood development
• Implement the Victorian early childhood workforce strategy
• 2009 Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, developed by the
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) and the Victorian
Curriculum and Assessment Authority, which sets out Practice Principles, Transitions and
Outcomes for advancing children’s learning and development from birth to eight years
• Transition: A Positive Start to School: A Guide for Families, Early Childhood Services,
Outside School Hours Care Services and Schools, 2009, a guide to improving children’s
experience of starting school and implementing supports for transition readiness
• 2009 strategy for the improvement of Victoria’s early childhood workforce, Improving
Victoria’s Early Childhood Workforce: Working to Give Children the Best Start in Life,
which set out the strategy for responding to Victoria’s increasing demand for early
childhood services
• Guidelines for the Children’s Capital Program 2009-2010, which sets out the capital and
infrastructure investment plan and how this links in with the Blueprint
• Growing, Learning and Thriving - Building on Victoria’s Achievements in Early Childhood
Development – a statement published in 2009 setting out the State Government’s vision
with regard to early childhood development, identifying priority reform actions within the
strategic framework of the Blueprint, many of which have implications for Municipal Early
Years Planning. For example:
o The implementation of the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development
Framework (birth to eight years)
o Roll out of universal access to 15 hours of kindergarten
o Strengthening of kindergarten cluster management
o Reform of the Maternal and Child Health Service

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o Enhancement of Best Start to build local level responsiveness
o Increase of the participation of Aboriginal children in early childhood services
o Implementation of Victoria’s early childhood workforce strategy.
o Balert Boorron: The Victorian Plan for Aboriginal Children and Young People (2010
– 2020), which sets the State Government’s reform agenda relating to Aboriginal
children and young people and provides a policy response to the State of Victoria’s
Children 2009: Aboriginal children and young people in Victoria.

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Appendix Four – State Government / Local Government
Partnership Approach

Public Health

The Department of Health is responsible for a broad range of health services, policy and program
area across Victoria. Public health initiatives or programs located in early year’s settings include,
but are not limited to, immunisation, injury prevention, physical activity and healthy nutrition.

Maternal and Child Health

The Maternal and Child Health Service is a universal primary care service for families with
children from birth to school age. The service is provided in partnership with Municipal
Association of Victoria (MAV), Local Government and DEECD and aims to promote healthy
outcomes for children and their families. The service provides a comprehensive and focused
approach for the promotion of health and development, prevention and early detection of the
physical, emotional or social factors affecting young children and their families in contemporary
communities.

Preschool Field Officer (PSFO)

The Preschool Field Officer (PSFO) is funded by State Government to support the inclusion of
children with additional needs into State funded Kindergarten services. The PSFO has extensive
experience in Early Childhood Development and Special Education with a background in
Kindergarten teaching. The PSFO is experienced and skilled in working with children with
additional needs and their families.

Children with additional needs, including:

• Children with challenging behaviours


• Children with social or emotional issues
• Children with speech, language and/or communication delays
• Children with developmental delays
• Children with advanced abilities and skills
• Children with disabilities
The role of the PSFO is
• Visit kindergarten services and undertake play-based assessments of referred children

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• Assist with the development of individual programs and strategies for children with
additional needs
• Provide information, support and resources to kindergarten staff
• Facilitate staff training to enhance professional development
• Support, advise and resource families
• Provide specialist toys, equipment and resource materials

Libraries

Local government operates Victoria's public library services, which play a critical role in the
development of online information and communications access to local communities. There are
a total of 310 public library service points in Victoria across all 79 municipalities.

Public libraries are also highly valued by the community as accessible public meeting spaces and
information hubs with free access to books, publications and the internet, global learning
opportunities and social engagement. They provide many benefits to communities through
improved literacy outcomes, the development of social capital and a contribution to a reduction
in social inequality.

The MAV acts as an advocate on behalf of councils in policy, planning and funding negotiations
with the State and Federal governments on the provision of infrastructure support for public
libraries.

Infrastructure provision

Victorian Local Government invests heavily in early years infrastructure provision. It owns the
majority of buildings from which libraries, maternal and child health, kindergarten and
integrated early years programs operate11 and is the major early childhood facility planner. Prior
to 1985 the Federal and State Governments provided capital funding grants for every
kindergarten and community based childcare centre built. The State Government regularly and
the Federal Government periodically provide funding contributions towards new children’s
services capital and capital improvement. Access to funding is highly competitive. Responsibility
for early year’s facilities is a funding partnership between State and Federal Government, Local
Government, community groups and at times private providers.

Family Support Innovation Projects

In partnership with a number of community service organisations and local government


authorities, the State Government of Victoria is taking an integrated approach to supporting

11
Victorian Local Government Support for Early Childhood Services - Survey of Local Government:

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vulnerable families whose needs are complex, through the establishment and implementation of
Family Support Innovations Projects.

This approach also aims to better integrate child protection services with family support and
other services. The networks work closely with vulnerable families and their children and
provide a valuable opportunity to build a strong interface and collaborative approach with Best
Start.

Primary Care Partnerships

The Primary Care Partnership strategy aims to: improve the experience and health wellbeing
outcomes of people using primary health care services; reduce the use of hospital, medical and
residential services through a greater emphasis on health promotion programs; and improve
coordinated service responses to people experiencing early signs of disease and who require
support.

Primary Care Partnerships use a social model of health providing strong synergies with the Best
Start approach. A number of partnerships have previously identified early years as an important
setting for early intervention to improve community health and provide a key planning platform
to progress an early years health and wellbeing agenda.

Disability Metropolitan and Rural Access

Disability Metropolitan Access was implemented by State Government in partnership with local
government providing positive opportunities for Disability Services and Local Government to
create a shared vision and ‘joined-up’ effort in supporting greater participation and inclusion of
people with disabilities in local communities.

Community Strengthening

The Department of Planning and Community Development has undertaken a number of


initiatives aimed at enhancing community strengthening resources, initiatives and support across
Victoria. In 2007, the Department of Planning and Community Development published Planning
Together: Lessons from local government community planning in Victoria. This report was based
on a review of nine case studies of local government-led community planning undertaken by
councils.

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Appendix Five – Integrated Service Policy Directions

In December 2007, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to a partnership


between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments to pursue substantial reform
in the areas of education, skills and early childhood development, to deliver significant
improvements in human capital outcomes for all Australians. The pursuit of reforms has found
expression to date in two National Partnership Agreements, one regarding indigenous children’s
development and one regarding early childhood education. A National Quality Framework for
Early Education and Care continues to be the subject of deliberations, although some elements
of the framework are already in place. It is anticipated that the Commonwealth Government’s
focus on integrated children’s services will be particularly apparent in the National Quality
Framework for Early Education and Care.

In Victoria, responsibility for early childhood education and care services was incorporated into
the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development in August 2007, when functions
from the Office for Children in the Department of Human Services (DHS), were integrated with
the former Department of Education. This has set the stage for increased integration of early
years services with the state education system.

The 2008 Blueprint for Education and Early Childhood Development (Blueprint) articulates a five-
year vision for education and early childhood development in Victoria. The centerpiece of the
Blueprint is the commitment to provide every child with every opportunity to succeed, no matter
where they live or what their socioeconomic circumstances. The Blueprint has, as one of its four
main priorities, a commitment to integrate services for children and families, illustrating the
importance accorded to integration. Indeed, integration is itself an important strategy for
reform:

‘We will create a more integrated system that will be more convenient for families, will
smooth the major transition points in the system, such as the transition from early
childhood services to school, and will allow families to get the support they need’ p. 12,
Blueprint for Education and Early Childhood Development 2008

Three actions are linked to this strategy: co-location and integration, improved transitions and
new developmental frameworks. Another action linked to the strategy of ‘partnerships’ is
around the creation of community hubs; it also acknowledges the importance of integration:
‘We will promote schools and other children’s centres as community hubs, through co-
location and integration of services and increased community use of school facilities.’ p.25,
Blueprint

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Victoria’s Plan to Improve Outcomes in Early Childhood (2007), predating but supporting the
National Reform Agenda and the Blueprint, sets out a ten year vision to improve the supports
available to families with young children with a focus on better antenatal services; strengthening
the health, development and learning of all children; enhancing the provision of early childhood
education and care services; and improving the early years workforce.

In further resourcing the Blueprint, the Victorian DEECD commissioned the Centre for
Community Child Health to conduct a literature review to identify best practice approaches to
the establishment and operation of integrated children’s hubs. The review examined:

• best practice models both nationally and internationally related to the development of
integrated children’s hubs
• examples of innovative centre governance arrangements that promote service integration
and include parents in decision-making roles
• the extent to which children’s hubs contribute to improved access to early childhood
education for children, provide support for families, promote community cohesion and
reduce the impact of social isolation
• barriers that impact on the establishment and operation of integrated services within
children’s hubs
• enablers that promote integrated service delivery
• the extent to which children’s hubs encourage communication between staff and families
and collaborative practice between service providers.
This work released in 2008 identified considerable research and practice evidence about multi-
agency collaboration and partnerships. It found mixed evidence, indicating that building and
maintaining true collaboration is neither simple nor easy. Because children’s centres are a
relatively recent innovation, there is limited evidence of the overall effectiveness of integrated
children’s hubs or of the features of best practice. Nevertheless, the researchers concluded that
it is possible to extrapolate from more general literature on collaboration and partnership a
coherent set of best practices to guide the introduction and consolidation of children’s centres in
Victoria.

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Appendix Six - Glossary of Terms

General terms

Centre/Facility/L A building (or group of buildings) housing various early childhood services,
ocation which may include kindergarten, long day care, parenting support, occasional
care, alternative care, playgroups, early intervention services, family support
services, maternal and child health services and other services/programs
related to the needs of young children and their families.

Child FIRST A family services community-based intake and referral service. Child FIRST
ensures that vulnerable children, young people and their families are
(Family
effectively linked to relevant services, including Child Protection.
Information
http://www.cyf.vic.gov.au/family-services/child-first
Referral
And Support
Team)

Children’s Authorised officers under the Children’s Services Act 1996, who are members
Services Advisers of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development regional
(CSA) children’s services branch staff.

Child Protection The statutory child protection service provided by the Department of Human
Services, which is able to intervene to protect children and young people at
risk of significant harm. http://www.cyf.vic.gov.au/child-protection-family-
services/home

Department Of Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is responsible


Education And for the learning, development, health and wellbeing of all young Victorians,
from birth to adulthood. http://www.education.vic.gov.au/default.htm
Early Childhood
Development

Early Childhood Encompasses the period of growth, learning and development of children
aged from birth to 8 years.

Family Day Carer A person approved by the family day care service to provide care or
education to children, primarily in the person’s residence or at a family day
care venue.

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Governance The formal and legal arrangements by which the affairs of an organisation (in
this case a children’s centre) are managed.

Integrated Services combine to form a single entity operating from a single location and
providing integrated inter- disciplinary child and family services.

Licensed A service providing care or education for four or more children under the age
Children’s of 13 years in the absence of their parents, carers or guardians that is
Service licensed under the Children’s Services Act 1996.

Program/S The activities that form part of service delivery.

Service/S The core functions that form part of the centre’s business.

Stand Alone/ Services operating independently, with no formal link or informal links.
Autonomous

Staff Members Staff employed in licensed children’s services, government schools and
regional offices, Catholic schools and independent schools.

Victorian Schools All schools in Victoria; that is, government schools, Catholic schools and
independent schools.

Legislative
Frameworks

Charter Of The law that protects the human rights of all people in Victoria. The charter
Human Rights contains 20 rights reflecting four basic principles: freedom, respect, equality
And and dignity.
Responsibilities http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/justlib/DOJ+Internet/Hom
e/Your+Rights/Human+Rights/
Act 2006

Children’s The law that provides for the licensing and regulation of all Victorian
Services Act children’s services to a set of required minimum standards.
1996
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/csa1996196/

Children’s A regulatory framework to ensure that all licensed children’s services meet
Services minimum service standards and requirements.
Regulations
http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/earlychildhood/CSRegulati
2009 ons2009-53sr001.pdf
(Regulations)

Page - 83
Children, Youth The legislative basis of the Victorian Government’s ‘Every Child Every Chance’
And Families reforms. http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/cyafa2005252/
Act 2005 (CYFA)

Adoption Adoption Act 1984


Adoption Regulations 2008
Family Law Act 1975 (Cth)
Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Act 1946 (Cth) (Refer Adoption
Regulations 2008)
Migration Act 1958 (Cth)
Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth)
Supreme Court (Adoption) Rules 2005

Children And Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005


Young Persons Children, Youth and Families Act 2005
Children, Youth and Families Regulations 2007
Children's Services Act 1996
Children's Services Regulations 2009
Coroners Act 2000
Guardianship and Administration Act 1986
Supported Accommodation Assistance Act 1994 (Cth)

Disability Disability Act 2006


Disability Regulations 2007
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth)

Education Education and Training Reform Act 2006


Education and Training Reform Regulations 2007

Health Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981


Food Act 1984
Food (Forms and Registration) Regulations 2005

Page - 84
Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008
Health Records Act 2001
Health Services Act 1988
Health (Immunisation) Regulations 1999
Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 2001
Health Services (Conciliation and Review) Act 1987
Infertility Treatment Act 1995
Infertility Treatment Regulations 1997
Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
Health Practitioners Regulation 2009
Nurses Act 1993
Mental Health Act 1986

Concessions Local Government Act 1989


Related Municipalities Assistance Act 1973
State Concessions Act 2004
Water Act 1989
Water Industry Act 1994 Water (Groundwater) Regulations 2002

Other Building Code of Australia 2009


Family Violence Protection Act 2008
Stalking Orders Act 2008
Equal Opportunity Act 1995 (Vic)
Freedom of Information Act 1982
Local Government Act 1989
Ombudsman Act 1973
Public Administration Act 2004
Public Records Act 1973
Information Privacy Act 2000
Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001

Page - 85

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